IPL broadcast banned Bangladesh: According to a recent development, BCB government adviser Asif Nazrul has reportedly ordered the Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Ministry to halt IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh, as the message is clear that the nation will tolerate no insult.
Much like the Indo-Pak relations, the Indo-Bangladesh relations have deteriorated sharply after their former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from the nation after anti-government protests and was later sentenced to death by a tribunal.
Since then, under the new interim government, religious feuds have taken a high toll, and Hindus are being targeted and assaulted brutally in Bangladesh.
Your daily dose of cricket!
Though the BCCI has not cited any political unrest as the root cause for the snubbing of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, the reason to trigger the directive can clearly be the protests from Indian groups and the ongoing anti-Bangladesh campaign in India.
BCB IPL ban: BCB adviser orders halting IPL broadcast in Bangladesh
Following the unexplained removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders by the BCCI despite being bought in the auction, the BCB has taken a major step against the proceedings of the IPL in the country.
Government adviser Asif Nazrul requested that the adviser to the Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry ensure that IPL matches are not broadcast in the country.
“I have requested the adviser for Information and Broadcasting to ensure that the broadcast of the IPL in Bangladesh is also suspended.
“Under no circumstances will we tolerate any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers, or Bangladesh itself. The days of servitude are over,” he said.
T20 World Cup venue change: BCB to urge ICC to shift group matches of the T20 World Cup to Sri Lanka
The BCB was slowly making attempts to make things uncomplicated between the two boards, especially after India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended former PM Khaleda Zia’s funeral in Dhaka. They had then announced the schedule for the India tour of Bangladesh, which was postponed from 2025 to 2026.
However, after Mustafizur Rahman’s snub, the adviser has advised the BCB and chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul to seek help from the ICC and make sure that Bangladesh matches are shifted from India to Sri Lanka.
“As the adviser in charge of the Ministry of Sports, I have instructed the Cricket Control Board to put the entire matter in writing and explain it to the ICC,” Nazrul wrote in Bengali on his Facebook page.
The reasoning seemed simple; according to BCB, if a contracted player cannot feature in franchise cricket in India, then the national team, including the same player (Mustafizur Rahman), does not feel safe travelling to India for the ICC tournament.
BCCI official rubbishes BCB’s venue-changing demands
Bangladesh are scheduled to play three of their T20 World Cup matches in Kolkata and the last one in Mumbai, and all of a sudden they demand a shift of venue from the ICC and the BCCI. This is evident in Bangladesh’s demand for a Pakistan-like arrangement, where any matches featuring Bangladesh, be it even in knockouts, shall be played in the three venues of the co-hosts, Sri Lanka.
A BCCI source confirmed to TOI that such changes cannot be made just like that, and hence, it is virtually impossible with just around a month left for the tournament.
“You can’t just change games at someone’s whims and fancies. It is a logistical nightmare. Think about opposition teams. Their air tickets and hotels are booked.
“Also, on all days there are three games each, which means one game is in Sri Lanka. There is a broadcast crew. So it will be easier said than done,” the source concluded.
ALSO READ: Mustafizur Rahman replacement at KKR: 7 pacers Shah Rukh Khan’s franchise should target after BCCI’s directive
