Bangladesh shooter cleared for Asian meet in Delhi

PUNE: The Bangladesh cricket team may have decided against travelling to India for the T20 World Cup but their shooting team will be in the Capital for the Asian Shooting Championships.The Bangladesh Shooting Sport Federation (BSSF) will be sending a two-member contingent with men’s 10m air rifle shooter Islam Rabiol and his coach, Sharmin Akter for the Feb 2-14 event. The BSSF had earlier included Shaira Arefin, women’s 10m air rifle shooter, but decided against her travelling.The Bangladesh Ministry of Youth and Sports issued an official order, which has been sent to all relevant authorities, including the Bangladesh High Commission in India and the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. Mahbub Ul Alam, ministry secretary, said in Dhaka that they asked the BSSF to obtain detailed information on security arrangements from India. “The ministry of external affairs has given clearance to the Bangladesh team,” the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) secretary Rajiv Bhatia told TOI.Iran had sent a 25-member list. With the Indian embassy not operating in Iran, obtaining visas will be difficult. (with inputs from Ahsan Tasnim).