Newsmen got a very unpleasant treat from the Cricket Board yesterday, the day when Bangladesh xvere making theii historic Test debut against India.

Because of the manner in which the Board demonstrated its sheer incompetence and negligence in handling the press, a good number of jour-nalists including two from The Dally Star could not cover the match from the spot.

Along xvith a few other journalists the head of The Daily Star Sport xvas also denied entry al (he Bangabandhu National Stadium despite having produced the official accreditation card to (lie boy scouts and Arcnrixv personnel on duiv at Gate 21.

"We have been instructed by Jalal Yunus (chairman media commitlee of the Board) not to allow any journalist to enter the press box xvithout possessing an on duty pass along xvith their accreditation card." they said while obstructing the puzzled newsmen.

The day before media committee issued six accreditation cards plus four bn duty' pass for The Daily Star In issuing of cards and passes, the committee xvas also found practising favouritism. Few newspapers xvere supplied six on duty passes along with six accreditation cards

However, when asked after -wank win they had issued accreditation cards which weren't not good enough to cross even the gate. Jalal angrily shot back. Why should I explain? I’m not supposed to be told by anyone what to do*

The reporters of the Daily Star in a show of protest re-f turned their accreditation ■ cards, on duty passes and hmeh coupons to the chairman and left the stadium.

Bui later hi the afternoon. State Minister for Youth and Sports Obaidul Quadcr. in re-aponse to the growing discon-irin of fellow reporters, asked Hw Board to withdraw the on duty bar on the press.

None from the media committee however communicated with The Dally Star till the filing of this report