Visa delays hampering Tigers in UAE

Despite being called up for Bangladesh's three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which got underway on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, opener Mohammad Naim is yet to join the team in the UAE as he has not received his visa.

Due to the delay, Parvez Hossain Emon -- a member of the T20 squad and part of the Asia Cup squad that stayed back in the UAE for this series -- has been kept with the team as a backup option.

Earlier this month, the same issue did not allow opener Soumya Sarkar to join the national team for the three-match T20I series against the same opponents.

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Visa issue puts Soumya's Afghan series participation in doubt

Soumya waited several days for the visa, but eventually returned to play in the National Cricket League T20.

Typically, before an overseas tournament, visas are arranged for at least 8–10 players outside the main squad.

According to Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, head of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB's) cricket operations department, the board had started the visa process in time, but even after repeated communications, has been unable to solve the issue.

"His [Naim] visa has still not been issued. We applied for the visas even before the team was finalised -- based on the list of probable players. But for some, there have been delays.

"We tried to follow up internally, and even our president discussed the matter during his Dubai visit. However, it ultimately depends on the concerned authorities in the UAE," Fahim told The Daily Star.

The UAE has kept regular tourist visas for Bangladeshi citizens suspended for over a year. Special invitation-based visas remain available, and players and media personnel were granted such visas during the Asia Cup through special arrangements. But during the ongoing bilateral series against Afghanistan, the same process has encountered renewed complications.