The International Cricket Council (ICC) will launch the world-wide cricket development programme during the Wills International Cup being held at Dhaka from October 24.

The ICC, who are organising the knock-out tournament to raise fund for the game's development programme, plans to propel the ambitious programme with star cricketers like Sachin Tendulker and Australian skipper Steve Waugh adding the fireworks.

Nasim-ul-Ghani, the ICC development officer of the Asian region, is now in Dhaka to work out the details of the launch. The former Pakistan Test cricketer, who had a busy day at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) office yesterday, said that the ICC will launch its programme in a most grandiose manner to popularise cricket in Dhaka.

``I have come here to work out the details. We have planned to involve all the star players of the nine Test-playing nations in the official launching of the development programme'', said Nasim-ul-Ghani, adding that the celebrity cricketers will visit some coaching schools in the city and elsewhere.

Mr. Ghani, who is scheduled to leave the capital on Sunday, also visited seven cricket grounds in the city yesterday. However, while talking to the reporters he expressed his dissatisfaction about the prevailing conditions and advocated a lot of improvement. The left-arm spinner of the yesteryears said that he will file a report to the ICC in mid-September regarding the details of the launching programme.

Mr. Ghani is also a member of the three-man ICC committee which will make recommendations regarding Bangladesh's plea for Test status. But the balding Nasim refrained from making any comment about the more demanding issue.