Published : 05 Jan 2026, 08:20 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 02:59 PM
Bangladesh has banned the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) amid a sporting and diplomatic row sparked by star cricketer Mustafizur Rahman's removal from the tournament in India.
In a directive issued on Monday, the government ordered television channels and media platforms to immediately halt the broadcast of all IPL matches and related programmes, with the ban set to remain in place until further notice.
The decision follows reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had instructed Mustafizur's franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders, to release him from the squad ahead of the IPL season, which is due to begin on Mar 26.
The ministry said no clear contractual or logical explanation had been provided for the decision taken by the Indian cricket board, adding that the move had “hurt, distressed and angered” people in Bangladesh.
It said the directive to suspend broadcasts was issued in response to the situation.
The removal of Mustafizur Rahman has heightened tensions between the two countries, whose relations have remained strained over the last year. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has since announced that the national team will not travel to India to play in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move Bangladesh’s matches out of India.
In a statement released on Sunday, the BCB said the decision was taken after reviewing the situation and considering concerns over the safety of the Bangladesh team in India, as well as advice from the government.
The BCB’s move surprised many in the cricketing community, as its position had appeared different earlier in the day.
Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul later issued a strongly worded post on social media, condemning the decision to drop Mustafizur.
He alleged that the BCCI had instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to remove the Bangladeshi player under pressure from extremist groups.
Nazrul added that he had directed the BCB to provide a full written explanation to the ICC and to make clear that if a Bangladeshi player could not play in India despite being under contract, it would not be safe for the national team to travel there for the T20 World Cup.
He added that he had instructed the board to request that Bangladesh’s matches be moved to Sri Lanka.
The BCB said it had followed that course of action and expressed hope that the ICC would understand the situation and respond quickly.
Other members of the government also commented on the issue.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday, Information and Broadcasting Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan said that silence was not an option when asked about possible steps to suspend IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh.
She added that the government would examine the legal basis for such a move and take a decision.
The suspension of IPL broadcasts was announced the following day.
