IPL broadcast suspended in Bangladesh as Dhaka-Delhi tension snowballs
No reasonable explanation has been provided by the Indian cricket board for the exclusion of Mustafizur from Kolkata Knight Riders, says the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has suspended the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bangladesh, following the exclusion of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from the tournament's team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
The ministry issued a letter to the relevant broadcasters today (5 January), instructing them not to telecast the matches.
The decision comes in the aftermath of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur's removal from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad following directives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
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The letter added that no reasonable explanation has been provided for the Indian cricket board's decision, which has deeply hurt and angered the people of Bangladesh.
In view of the situation, the ministry instructed the chief executives of all relevant television channels in Bangladesh not to broadcast IPL matches and related programmes until further notice.
Bangladesh has also officially decided not to travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, escalating the sporting standoff between the two countries to an unprecedented level.
Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul disclosed the major development yesterday, calling the move a necessary response to what he termed the "radical communal policy" of the Indian cricket authorities.
When asked about the matter, BCB Director Khaled Mashud Pilot told The Business Standard yesterday, "We have sent a letter to the ICC requesting that our match be moved from India to Sri Lanka.
"If they [India] cannot provide security to one of our players, how will they ensure the security of our entire team? That is why we will not go there to play."
Since Mustafizur was dropped by KKR following a directive of the BCCI, concerns over the safety of Bangladesh's cricketers at the World Cup have come to the forefront.
The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on 7 February. Bangladesh was scheduled to face the West Indies in their opening match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Drawn in Group C, Bangladesh will also compete against defending champions England, Italy and Nepal.
While the schedule currently lists three group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, the BCB discussed a venue change to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. Ultimately, it decided to send a letter to the ICC requesting a change of venue.
Kolkata Knight Riders officially confirmed on 3 January that Mustafizur has been released from the squad ahead of the upcoming IPL, scheduled to be held from March to May this year.
KKR had secured Mustafizur's services for Rs9.2 crore after an intense bidding war with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at the players' mini-auction held last month.
The franchise shared the update through a press statement, stating that the decision was taken following instructions from the IPL governing body, BCCI.
Mustafizur's signing 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 the Bangladeshi pacer amid tensions between India and Bangladesh.
Dhaka-Delhi tensions
Relations between Bangladesh and India have come under severe strain following the August 2024 ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ending what New Delhi had described as a "golden era" (shonali adhyay) of bilateral cooperation, according to analysts and diplomatic sources.
The deterioration marks a sharp reversal after more than a decade of close security, economic and political alignment between the neighbours, and has raised concerns on both sides about trade, border security and regional geopolitics, says a report published by the International Crisis Group.
Since an interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus took power, relations have been marked by public disputes and retaliatory measures.
Dhaka has criticised sections of Indian media for overstating attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, saying political and economic disputes were often portrayed as religious violence. Some Hindu community leaders in Bangladesh have warned that such coverage has increased insecurity.
India sharply reduced visa issuances following Hasina's departure, cutting daily approvals from about 8,000 to roughly 1,000, according to officials, affecting medical travel and education.
Both countries summoned each other's envoys following a series of issues in recent months.
On 22 December, Bangladesh suspended visa and consular services for Bangladesh nationals and applicants in India's New Delhi, Siliguri and Agartala.
The development came following protests by Hindu nationalist groups, prompting suspensions reportedly on security grounds.
On 20 December, Hindutva outfits Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal staged demonstrations over the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a garment worker in Mymensingh, outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.
Bangladesh said the protests outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi left the high commissioner and his family feeling threatened.
Earlier on 19 December, a group of protesters attacked the residence of India's assistant high commissioner in Chattogram following the news of Inqilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi's death spread and enraged the student-people.
