Dhaka

The Bangladesh government on Monday announced the suspension of all broadcasts of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 matches in the country, following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. The IPL is scheduled to begin on March 26.

The decision comes after KKR confirmed that Rahman had been removed from their 2026 roster in compliance with the BCCI’s directive, which cited concerns over alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.

In an official statement, Bangladesh’s Press Information Department (PID) said, “Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a letter stating that until further notice, all IPL matches and related programming will be suspended from broadcast and telecast in Bangladesh.”

Earlier, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh commented on the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) formal request to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move their 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup matches from India to alternative venues, citing safety and security concerns.

Speaking to ANI, Harbhajan said, “Due to the various events that have taken place in the past few days, Bangladesh does not want to come to India. Whatever happened in Bangladesh is wrong. The ICC needs to make a decision on their request. We welcome everyone to India, but whether they (Bangladesh) want to come here or not is their choice.”

The BCB has expressed growing concerns over the safety and security of its team, which it said influenced their reluctance to travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

KKR’s move followed BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia’s statement that the board had instructed the IPL franchise to release Mustafizur Rahman “due to the recent developments.”

This series of decisions has sparked a diplomatic and sporting controversy, as IPL fans and cricket authorities in both countries await further developments.