Bangladesh govt suspends IPL telecast amid Mustafizur controversy; Ex-BCCI official downplays impact on league

Bangladesh suspends IPL telecast after Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the tournament by BCCI, sparking controversy. The Bangladesh Cricket Board seeks ICC intervention for the 2026 T20 World Cup’s venue

Dhaka: The Bangladesh government has ordered the suspension of the broadcast of all matches of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season amid the controversy surrounding Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman.

The decision comes after Rahman was released from the IPL following instructions issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), triggering widespread debate and criticism in Bangladesh.

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Reacting to the development, a former BCCI official said the move by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was a natural response. “For every action, there is a reaction. The Bangladesh Cricket Board is merely doing what it believes is within its authority. “Takleef hui hai, so obviously there will be a reaction,” the official said. However, he added that India or the IPL is unlikely to be affected by the decision.

“It is hereby informed that a directive issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come to notice, whereby Bangladesh’s star cricketer Mr Mustafizur Rahman has been excluded from the Kolkata Knight Riders team for the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament scheduled to commence on March 26, 2026. No reasonable justification for such a decision by the BCCI is known, and this decision has caused pain, distress, and anger among the people of Bangladesh,” read a statement from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

“Under these circumstances, until further instructions are issued, it is hereby ordered that the broadcast/telecast of all Indian Premier League (IPL) matches and related programmes be suspended,” the statement added.

Following Rahman’s release, the BCB convened an emergency board meeting and has also approached the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking the relocation of Bangladesh’s matches in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup from India, citing safety and security concerns.

India and Sri Lanka are scheduled to co-host the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with matches slated across multiple venues in both countries.