When Bangladesh PM has given consent, don't see how players won't: Sourav Ganguly

After taking charge as the 39th BCCI president, former skipper Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday said that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has confirmed her presence for the second Test at Eden Gardens and said he does not see any reason why Bangladesh players would not follow their PM.

His remarks come after the reports of the ongoing strike of players in Bangladesh. The players in the country have refused to take part in any cricketing activity until their demands are met.

"Bangladesh PM has confirmed her presence for the Test between India and Bangladesh at Kolkata. If she has given her consent for the tour, I do not see any reason as to why their national players won't follow the same," Ganguly told reporters.

Hasina would be ringing the bell at the Eden Gardens to start the proceedings in the second Test between the two countries. Ganguly had earlier revealed that he would be writing to PM Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee to attend the proceedings on the first day of the match.

The new BCCI president had also said that he would be sending a formal invite to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to send their team that played the first-ever Test against India.

The Bangladeshi players have decided not to take part in any cricket activity until their 11 demands are met. These include the reversal of the BCB's decision last month to abandon the Bangladesh Premier League's (BPL) franchise-based model.

The decision made on BPL resulted in the reduction of the average professional cricketer's earning to an all-time low. The cricket governing body also did not raise match fees in the first-class competition that began earlier this month.

Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmadullah were some of the prominent players who announced their demands during the press conference at the National Cricket Academy in Dhaka on Monday.

Bangladesh is scheduled to tour India for a three-match T20I and two-match Test match series, starting from November 3.

India is slated to play against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens from November 22-26.