Some observers had expected officials to move the tournament out of Bangladesh following an outbreak of violent protests and strikes in the capital Dhaka ahead of elections today.

Asian Cricket Council’s Chairman N Srinivasan (left) & Chief Executive Syed Ashraful Huq attend a meeting in Colombo on Saturday. Pic/AFP

“The tournament will go ahead as scheduled in Bangladesh from February 25,” Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief executive Ashraful Huq told AFP after an executive board meeting in Colombo.

“Everything is in place for the tournament, no one raised any issue about safety,” Huq said, adding the Bangladesh Cricket Board had made a detailed security presentation at the meeting.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had said on Thursday it was seeking its government’s advice about sending a team for the Asia Cup.

But Huq said Pakistan did not raise any security concerns at the meeting. “Pakistan have said yes, they have not said no,” he said.