'Aggressive state' should not be allowed to host international events: Asif Mahmud after KKR release Mustafizur
'Through a joint initiative of the government and the BCB, and in consultation with other cricket-playing nations, India should be declared unfit to host international events,' he says
Former youth and sports adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has said that an "aggressive state" should not be given the opportunity to host any international sporting events, following the release of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
In a post on his verified Facebook account, Asif Mahmud urged the government and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to take a joint initiative to engage with other cricket-playing nations and declare India unfit to host international sporting events.
"Through a joint initiative of the government and the BCB, and in consultation with other cricket-playing nations, India should be declared unfit to host international events," he wrote.
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He further stated that even after 5 August 2024, Bangladesh has successfully hosted numerous tournaments across different disciplines, where Indian participants competed in a safe and competitive environment.
His comments came after KKR, co-owned by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, officially confirmed that Mustafizur Rahman has been released from the squad ahead of the IPL season, scheduled to be held from March to May this year.
KKR had secured Mustafizur's services for Rs9.2 crore following a competitive bidding war with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at the players' mini-auction held last month.
In a press statement issued on Friday (3 January), the franchise said the decision was taken following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which governs the IPL.
"Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL, as the regulator of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season," reads the statement.
The issue had earlier triggered sharp reactions from Hindu religious leaders and politicians in India, many of whom targeted KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan after the franchise acquired Mustafizur amid tensions between India and Bangladesh.
On Thursday, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and two Hindu spiritual leaders criticised Khan over KKR's decision to sign the Bangladeshi pacer. Yesterday, BJP leader Sangeet Singh Som and other religious figures welcomed the BCCI's instruction to KKR to release Mustafizur from the squad.
The developments come amid heightened tensions between India and Bangladesh following the fall of the Awami League government in 2024 and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's subsequent departure to India.
Over the past few months, both countries have summoned each other's envoys over a range of contentious issues.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia yesterday told the media that the board asked KKR to release Mustafizur from the squad amid growing strain in bilateral ties between the two countries.
