Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ordered the halt to the broadcasting of the Indian Premier League in their country. This decision comes amid the Mustafizur Rahman probe. Following that, BCB had taken some major actions. First, they asked ICC to shift their venue from India, citing security concerns, and now, on Monday, this decision came and added fuel to the ongoing controversy.
On Monday (January 5), Assistant Secretary Firoz Khan signed an official notification issuing the broadcasting restriction. It applies to all IPL matches and related programming and will be in effect until further notice.
The notice stated that the ministry took notice of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to exclude Mustafizur from the KKR team for the IPL season, which is set to start on March 26, 2026, according to Cricbuzz.
They also stated that the decision of Fizz’s exclusion is hurtful, “No reasonable justification for such a decision is known; such a decision has hurt, distressed and angered the people of Bangladesh.”
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Adding to that, they said this decision was made based on public interest. "In these circumstances, it is requested, by order, that all matches and programmes of the Indian Premier League be stopped from broadcast and transmission until further instructions.”
What actually happened?
This decision comes after the Kolkata Knight Riders released Mustafizur Rahman after controversy over his and the BCCI's mandate ahead of the IPL 2026 season. His participation in the KKR team prompted great criticism, with politicians and parties targeting team owner Shah Rukh Khan. However, the staunch Bangladeshi fast bowler had no direct influence on Bangladesh's current circumstances. A few days back, Bangladeshi demonstrators set ablaze a living Bangladeshi Hindu, prompting Shiv Sena and BJP ministers and leaders to challenge Fizz's inclusion in the IPL. The left-arm bowler was selected by the Kolkata Knight Riders at the auction for Rs 9.2 crore, making him the highest-paid Bangladeshi cricketer ever.
Following this Bangladesh asked ICC to shift their matches, stating "Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions," the BCB statement says.
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Bangladesh were scheduled to play their group matches in Kolkata against the West Indies, Italy, England and one in Mumbai against Nepal.
What lies ahead?
Match forfeiture and loss of points
If Bangladesh refuses to play matches scheduled in India and the International Cricket Council does not approve a venue change, those fixtures can be declared forfeits. In this situation, Bangladesh’s opponents would be awarded full points without a match being played. For example, if Bangladesh does not take the field against England in India, England would receive two points, while Bangladesh would get none, effectively ending their group-stage hopes.
Complete withdrawal from the World Cup
If the dispute escalates and the Bangladesh Cricket Board formally withdraws from the tournament, Bangladesh would play no matches in the World Cup. The ICC could replace them with another eligible team. This would lead to loss of prize money, reduced global exposure, and potential long-term damage to Bangladesh’s relationship with the ICC.
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Neutral venue relocation as a compromise
The least disruptive outcome would be the ICC agreeing to shift Bangladesh’s matches to a neutral venue such as Sri Lanka. For instance, a Bangladesh versus South Africa match scheduled in India could be moved to Colombo. This would allow Bangladesh to stay in the tournament, keep competition fair, and ensure results are decided on the field rather than off it.
