The Bangladesh government has imposed an indefinite ban on the telecast and promotion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) across the country. The decision comes after a controversy over the removal of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the upcoming IPL season.

In an official order issued on January 5, Bangladeshi authorities said that all IPL-related broadcasts, advertisements, promotions and event coverage have been stopped with immediate effect. The ban will continue until further instructions are issued. The government said the decision was taken in the “public interest” and was approved by the appropriate authorities.

According to the government, the controversy began after Mustafizur was released from the KKR squad. The authorities said the decision was communicated as an instruction from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Bangladeshi government described the move as unfair and said it lacked any clear or logical reason.

In its statement, the government said the decision to drop Mustafizur had “distressed, shocked and angered” people across Bangladesh. It added that strong public sentiment forced the authorities to act by suspending all IPL-related broadcasts and promotional activities in the country.

The impact of the controversy has gone beyond television coverage. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has also decided not to send the national team to India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh’s league matches planned to be played in India.

The BCB said the decision was taken after an emergency meeting held following Mustafizur’s sudden exit from the IPL. A meeting of the Board of Directors on Sunday resulted in a unanimous decision not to tour India under the current circumstances.

In a statement, the BCB said it reviewed developments over the past 24 hours and expressed serious concern over the safety and security of the Bangladesh team in India. The board added that it acted after considering advice from the Bangladesh government.

BCB director Khaled Mashud Pilot later explained the board’s position. He questioned how India could guarantee the safety of the entire team if it could not ensure the security of one Bangladeshi player. Based on this concern, he said, the board decided not to participate in the tournament in India.

The BCCI has not directly linked Mustafizur’s release to political or diplomatic issues but said the decision was influenced by broader developments.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is now expected to step in to address the situation, as Bangladesh is currently scheduled to play all four of its league matches in India under the existing World Cup plan.