After banning the broadcast of the Indian Premier League earlier this year, Bangladesh have removed the blanket restriction on the league for the upcoming season. The development was confirmed by the country’s newly appointed Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan during a media interaction on Saturday, March 28.
The decision marks a significant shift in stance from the Bangladesh government, which had earlier taken a hardline position amid strained diplomatic and cricketing relations with India. With IPL 2026 set to begin, the rollback ensures that broadcasters and fans in Bangladesh could once again engage with the most-watched T20 leagues in the world.
Bangladesh had banned the broadcast of the IPL in the aftermath of pacer Mustafizur Rahman being relieved from the league. Mustafizur, who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a massive Rs 9.20 crore, was let go by the franchise on the directions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The move had sparked strong reactions within Bangladesh, with the decision seen not just as a cricketing call but one that carried political undertones. The board had informally instructed the franchise to part ways with the left-arm pacer while reacting to incidents involving the killing of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, further complicating the already sensitive situation between the two nations.
Relations between the Bangladesh and Indian cricket boards hit an all-time low following the episode, with Bangladesh pulling out of the T20 World Cup 2026. The withdrawal was widely criticised within cricketing circles, with many arguing that the decision hurt Bangladesh cricket more than it helped make a political statement.
However, in recent days, ties between the two countries have shown signs of improvement, with both sides exchanging pleasantries through their respective leaders. The softening of stance appears to have extended into the sporting domain as well, with the IPL broadcast decision emerging as one of the first visible indicators of a reset.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has also acknowledged the damage caused by refusing to participate in a global tournament, a mistake they are now willing to rectify as they attempt to rebuild both cricketing and diplomatic bridges.
From a commercial standpoint, the reversal also makes sense. The IPL enjoys a massive following in Bangladesh, and broadcasters have historically seen strong viewership numbers during the tournament. Keeping the league off air not only affected fans but also had financial implications for networks and advertisers within the country.
“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 to telecast the IPL, we will consider it positively,” Zahir Uddin Swapan said on Saturday.
“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.
The statement underlines a more pragmatic approach from the government, one that separates sport from geopolitical tensions, at least in principle. With the season set to get underway, the onus now lies on broadcasters to step forward.
Source: India Today