Bangladesh Postpones Home Series V Pakistan

`We have been advised by the home ministry to postpone the tour until further notice`, BCB media chief Jalal Yunus said.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has postponed this month's home series with Pakistan due to security concerns, the board said in a statement on Thursday.

"We have been advised by the home ministry to postpone the tour until further notice," BCB media chief Jalal Yunus said.

Pakistan were due to arrive in Bangladesh on Saturday to play two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals against the hosts from March 10 to 22.

The decision comes two days after the Sri Lanka cricket team was attacked by gunmen in the Pakistani city of Lahore as their bus approached the Gadaffi Stadium, wounding six players and an assistant coach.

Seven Pakistanis, six policemen and a bus driver, were killed in the ambush.

Bangladesh has security concerns of its own following last week's mutiny at the headquarters of a paramilitary unit in Dhaka which killed at least 80 people, mostly army officers.

The announcement was made just minutes before the BCB was due to hold a news conference to explain improved security arrangement for the visiting team.

"We were ready to go with the series and Pakistan also had no problem to tour, but the government felt it is not the right time to host an international series," Yunus told Reuters.

BCB officials added that they were working with their Pakistan counterparts to find suitable new dates for the series.

Acting BCB chief Nizamuddin Chowdhury added that the Bangladesh board had been working on an International Cricket Council (ICC) request to beef up security for future tours.

"The ICC has sought a revised security plan because it wants the players to be totally protected," he said.

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful was disappointed the series had been postponed but admitted that "security is most important".