IPL
Bangladesh bans IPL telecast after KKR drops Mustafizur Rahman
The Bangladesh Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday directed all television channels to suspend the telecast of the Indian Premier League (IPL), days after Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman.
According to Dhaka Tribune, the directive was issued through an official letter sent to television broadcasters, instructing them to immediately stop airing all IPL matches and related programmes until further notice.
“In view of the situation, the ministry has instructed the chief executives of all television channels to suspend the broadcast of all IPL matches and associated content with immediate effect,” the newspaper reported.
ICC may shift Bangladesh matches out of India
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) may consider a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to shift Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches out of India, media reports said on Sunday.
While no formal decision has been taken and no meeting has yet been convened—Sunday being a non-working day—Cricbuzz reported that the ICC is not opposed to relocating Bangladesh’s fixtures to Sri Lanka, one of the co-hosts of the tournament.
Bangladesh is currently scheduled to play all its league matches in India, including three games in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. A final decision is expected within the next one or two days, the report added.
The developments follow KKR’s decision to release Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the 2026 IPL season. According to Prothom Alo, the move was discussed during a BCB Board of Directors meeting on Saturday, attended by 17 board members.
Rahman’s inclusion in the KKR squad had earlier sparked political and social controversy in India. Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som criticised KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, accusing him of being a “traitor” for signing a Bangladeshi player and warning of resistance to Bangladeshi cricketers touring India.
The backlash intensified after spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur urged KKR management to reconsider Rahman’s selection. The issue further escalated when Meera Rathore, district president of the All India Hindu Mahasabha in Agra, defaced a poster of Shah Rukh Khan during a protest, drawing widespread condemnation.
KKR had acquired Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9.2 crore at the IPL mini-auction held in December 2025.
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