‘Won’t mix politics with sport’: Bangladesh lifts IPL broadcast ban

The ban was initially imposed after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was withdrawn from the tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders, who had bought the fast bowler for ₹9.20 crore, released him following informal communication from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) amid protests.

Rahman’s participation had sparked outrage from several organisations against the backdrop of reported violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

His exclusion had further escalated tensions, prompting Bangladesh to opt out of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which was co-hosted by India.

The resumption of IPL coverage signals a possible thaw in strained bilateral ties following Tarique Rahman assuming office as Prime Minister after the first elections held since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

Bangladesh’s new Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said the government would view IPL telecast purely from a commercial perspective.

“No one applied to us to telecast the IPL. We don’t want to mix politics with sport. We will look at it from a commercial perspective, and if any channel applies, we will consider it positively,” Swapan was quoted by India Today.

“We will not bar anyone from telecasting it. If Star Sports wants to telecast it, they can. If any of our channels want to telecast it, we will take it positively, but we will not force anything,” he added.

IPL 2026 began on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad.