The Bangladesh government has banned the telecast of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in the country, its information and broadcasting ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The statement cited the ouster of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad for the 2026 season as the reason behind the indefinite ban.
TV channels and streaming platforms have broadcast the IPL in Bangladesh since its inception in 2008. This is also the first time that the Bangladesh government has banned the telecast of an international cricket tournament.
“This is to inform that the Indian Cricket Board has given the instruction to the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League which is due to start on March 26. This decision has hurt and angered the Bangladesh citizens. Due to this, request is made as per instructions to stop the broadcast/telecast of all matches and programmes of the Indian Premier League,” said the ministry in its statement.
This comes a day after Asif Nazrul, the sports adviser in the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government, said on social media that he has requested the country’s information and broadcasting ministry to not broadcast IPL matches in the country.
“...(When) a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted,
the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going
to play in the World Cup,” Nazrul wrote.
“We won’t stand for any insult to Bangladesh’s cricket, cricketers and the country. The days of slavery are over.”
The ongoing political turmoil has thrown a shadow of uncertainty on their cricketing ties, with the BCCI also putting India’s tour of Bangladesh later this year on hold, besides getting KKR to release Mustafizur.
The ban on players participating in the IPL has thus far been limited to Pakistan. This is the first time that a Bangladeshi cricketer has been barred from the tournament.
Mustafizur was the only Bangladeshi player picked for the upcoming season, and has been an IPL regular since 2016, with Shakib Al Hasan. Both of them have also been a part of title-winning teams.
