In the wake of Bangladesh's controversial exclusion from the upcoming T20 World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is facing severe criticism from Bangladeshi journalists and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), who accuse the governing body of vindictive actions and exposing a "dark side". The accusations stem from a series of events that began with Bangladesh's refusal to send its team to India for the tournament, citing security concerns.

The BCB asserted that the Bangladesh government deemed it unsafe for the team, journalists, and accompanying personnel to travel to India, given the prevailing political tensions. Consequently, the BCB requested the ICC to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka. However, the ICC rejected this request, stating that it had found no credible security threat and that altering the schedule so close to the tournament would set a dangerous precedent.

Following Bangladesh's firm stance against playing in India, the ICC replaced them with Scotland, the highest-ranked T20I side outside the original list of qualified teams. This decision triggered strong reactions in Bangladesh, with the BCB expressing its helplessness but also acknowledging that the ICC was unlikely to meet their request.

Adding fuel to the fire, the ICC has now reportedly denied accreditation to nearly all Bangladeshi journalists who applied to cover the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. According to BCB media committee chairman Amzad Hossain, around 130 to 150 journalists from Bangladesh had applied for accreditation, but none were approved. This move has been widely condemned in Bangladesh as a deliberate attempt to stifle media coverage and a retaliatory measure against the BCB's stance. Some journalists claimed that initial approvals were even revoked.

The situation has escalated to a point where the ICC is being accused of double standards and unfair treatment. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has criticized the ICC, stating that Bangladesh has been treated unfairly and that the same standards are not being applied to all member nations. There are even reports suggesting that the ICC has warned Pakistan of potential sanctions, including suspension of bilateral series and denial of NOCs for foreign players in the Pakistan Super League, if they were to withdraw from the T20 World Cup in support of Bangladesh.

Adding to the turmoil, the BCB is facing internal criticism after reinstating M. Nazmul Islam as head of its finance committee shortly after his removal due to controversial comments. Islam had publicly branded former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal a "proven Indian agent" after Iqbal suggested the BCB engage in dialogue with the BCCI to resolve venue-related issues. The reinstatement has been perceived as a betrayal of trust by national players, who had called off a boycott after being assured of accountability.

The series of events has painted a grim picture of the relationship between the ICC and Bangladesh cricket, with accusations of vindictiveness and a lack of fair play dominating the narrative. As the T20 World Cup approaches, the controversy continues to simmer, leaving a cloud of uncertainty over the future of Bangladesh's relationship with the global governing body.