The Bangladesh government has ordered an immediate ban on the broadcast of all games and events of the Indian Premier League (IPL), following the controversial exclusion of Bangladeshi star pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad.
The ban was announced through a notification issued on Jan 5 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Signed by Assistant Secretary Feroz Khan, the directive states that the order will remain in force “until further orders” and has been issued in the public interest with the approval of the appropriate authorities.
According to the notification, the government took serious note of the decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to exclude Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL tournament scheduled to begin on March 26, 2026. The ministry said no rational explanation was provided for the move, describing it as a decision that has “hurt, shocked, and angered the people of Bangladesh.”
“In this situation,” the notification said, “it is hereby requested to stop the broadcasting of all IPL games and events until further orders.”
Tensions surrounding Mustafizur Rahman’s participation in the IPL have been escalating for several days. On January 3, amid pressure from hardline Hindutva groups in India, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia reportedly ordered that Mustafizur be dropped from the tournament. Soon after, KKR officially removed the Bangladeshi pacer from their squad, despite having purchased him for a record Rs 9.2 crore.
The move sparked outrage among Bangladeshi cricket fans, who condemned what they described as an act of political interference and unsportsmanlike conduct. Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul publicly criticized the decision and called for a ban on IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh, a demand that has now been acted upon by the government.
Many analysts and former players in Bangladesh argue that Mustafizur’s exclusion goes beyond cricket. “Mustafizur Rahman is just an occasion. Politics is behind the whole incident,” said a senior cricket official. “A player worth Rs 9.2 crore has been excluded due to pressure from extremist political forces.”
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has also responded strongly. Citing serious security concerns, the board has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift Bangladesh’s matches in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup away from India.
This year’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka starting February 7. Bangladesh, placed in Group C, is slated to play three matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. However, the BCB believes that under the current circumstances, no city in India can guarantee the safety of the Bangladesh team.
In an email sent to the ICC on Monday, the BCB said there are “strong doubts” about the safety of Bangladeshi players, officials, journalists, and supporters in India. After reviewing the overall security situation and considering advice from the Bangladesh government, the board concluded that it would not send the national team to India.
“The board believes that such steps are necessary to ensure the safety of players, coaching staff, officials, and others concerned,” the letter said, proposing that all Bangladesh matches scheduled in India be shifted to another country.
Amid the unfolding crisis, Murel Gomes, a celebrated Catholic sportswoman and former captain of Bangladesh’s national women’s football team, has voiced strong support for the government and BCB’s decisions. Gomes, who received the National Sports Award in 2022, said dignity and respect must come before entertainment.
“There is no need to watch a game where the country’s cricketers are not respected,” Gomes told Radio Veritas Asia.
She expressed personal sadness over Mustafizur’s exclusion. “It was not right to exclude Mustafizur from the IPL. He is a player I like very much. I watch all his games, and I love his bowling. As a player myself, I felt very sad when he was excluded,” she said. “I request that politics not be brought into the game.”
Gomes welcomed the government’s decision to stop IPL broadcasts as a form of protest. “If Mustafizur does not play, then what is the need to broadcast the IPL in our country? There is no need,” she said. “By excluding Mustafizur, India has insulted him and the people of Bangladesh. I strongly protest.”
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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