Having already denied the Tigers a scheduled tour last April, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is now set to put back the October trip as well. During the first postponement, the BCCI managed to convince the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that a chance to host Pakistan during that period was more important in the context of sub-continental cricket diplomacy. This time they have found new reasons -- the ICC Super Series clashes with the Tigers' schedule and then there will be two major religious festivals in the month -- the Dasarath and Diwali -- when they supposedly can't play cricket!

How's the second one for an excuse?

Only last year on Diwali day, India played Pakistan in a one day international in Kolkata to celebrate the BCCI's Platinum Jubilee. Then again, Bangladesh are not Pakistan and are unlikely to attract the same commercial interest. Isn't that the bottom line? By the attitude shown by the cricket authorities across the border, it certainly appears so.

India remains the only Test playing nation the Tigers haven't toured in their five years in the elite league. If the October trip is cancelled, where is the certainty that a rescheduled visit will take place any time soon given the international commitments of both countries?

When it comes to hosting Bangladesh, through some rather mysterious power the BCCI is able to compromise the demands put forward by the International Cricket Council's (ICC) 10-year cycle where every country is supposed to play each other both home and away. The spirit of the game, which the governing body of cricket tries so hard to champion, suddenly takes a back seat here. But the BCB's subdued role in reacting to the postponements also raises unpleasant questions, even from within the establishment, about the Board's ability stand up for a just cause.

"The way India called off the tour for the second time is unacceptable. But do our concerned people uphold our rights when they talk to their Indian counterparts? Do they ask why we can't tour India when we have visited every other Test country?" said a BCB official on condition of anonymity.

"I understand that there are reasons to be thankful to India for supporting our Test appeal and for their gesture of playing the inaugural Test in Dhaka. But following that, they have always shown their disinterest in playing Bangladesh and made a lot of drama before touring last December. It seems business and commercial value of a team has become more important to them.

"I am worried that the latest postponement could set a trend and other countries may follow suit. That could be catastrophic for our cricket," the official added.

The BCB is counting on its president Ali Asghar's visit to India on July 16 for a positive outcome regarding a tour in near future. But Asghar himself is reportedly sceptical about that prospect.

Tigers' chief selector Faruque Ahmed meanwhile expressed his frustration about the whole episode.

"There were no strong reasons behind the cancellation. The Super Series schedule was made months ago and cricket never stops because of any festival. We have been playing Test series during the Ramadan and Eid for the last couple of seasons," said the former national captain.

"We need to go to India to complete our cycle. I am still hopeful that the two boards will come up with a suitable time frame to hold the series. It will be a shame if they don't."

In this business-dominated era of sports, mutual respect often gets abused and the Bangladesh cricket team has experienced that first hand in no uncertain terms over the years. Will the BCCI usher a new dawn or will it be the same old story written all over again?