The country’s advertising industry—including television channels and content developers—is set to miss out on an opportunity to earn crores of taka following the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s directive to suspend the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bangladesh.
The decision came on Monday, days after Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was excluded from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the 2026 season.
The IPL consists of 74 matches—70 group-stage games and four knockout fixtures. According to unofficial estimates, last year, T Sports reportedly charged an average of Tk3 lakh per minute for advertisements during IPL broadcasts. With roughly one hour (60 minutes) of advertising time per match, the channel stands to lose about Tk1.8 crore in advertising revenue per game due to the suspension.
Based on this calculation, the total revenue loss from group-stage matches alone could be around Tk126 crore. Advertising rates during knockout matches are significantly higher than the average, pushing the overall loss to an estimated Tk150 crore, even under conservative projections.
Multiple sources close to the development said T Sports had acquired the IPL broadcast rights for five years at a total cost of Tk150 crore.
Meanwhile, Navidul Huq, managing director of Nagorik TV, told TIMES of Bangladesh that his channel is not directly affected by the decision.
“We never purchase this type of content ourselves,” he said. “It belongs to another party that distributes it across different channels under a revenue-sharing arrangement. We are not aware of the pricing or advertising earnings. They simply pay us a fixed broadcasting fee.”
The suspension of IPL broadcasts has therefore raised significant concerns within the television industry, particularly over the financial fallout for rights-holding broadcasters.
The directive to suspend broadcasting was issued on Monday through an official notification signed by Assistant Secretary Firoz Khan. It applies to all IPL matches and related programming and will remain in force until further notice.
According to the notification, the ministry took cognisance of the decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to drop Mustafizur from KKR for the IPL season scheduled to begin on March 26, 2026.
“No reasonable justification for such a decision is known,” the notification said. “The decision has hurt, distressed, and angered the people of Bangladesh.”
“In these circumstances, all matches and programmes of the Indian Premier League are hereby ordered to be suspended from broadcast and transmission until further instructions,” the ministry said, adding that the order was issued in the public interest with approval from the appropriate authorities.
Speculation over Mustafizur’s participation in the upcoming IPL had intensified in recent days, as several hardline Hindu nationalist groups in India publicly demanded his exclusion, staging protests and demonstrations. Earlier, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia informed officials that Mustafizur would be omitted from the tournament. KKR later confirmed that the Bangladesh international was no longer part of its squad.
A key figure in Bangladesh’s national team and a familiar name in franchise cricket, Mustafizur has previously represented KKR in the IPL. His omission—and Dhaka’s subsequent response—has added a political dimension to the build-up to the next IPL season.
For now, IPL coverage remains suspended in Bangladesh, with no indication of when broadcasts may resume.
Politics enters the cricket field
Cricket has long been used as a political instrument in Delhi–Islamabad relations, but this is the first time such politicisation has visibly entered Dhaka–Delhi ties. The decision to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad triggered widespread condemnation from cricketers, politicians, and analysts on both sides of the border. Even senior Indian politicians criticised the move, describing it as a “mindless politicisation of sport.”
Many observers believe the situation could have been handled in a more mature and responsible manner, with Indian authorities containing pressure from fundamentalist Hindu groups instead of allowing political considerations to override sporting principles. While the full fallout of Bangladesh’s response is yet to become clear, it is evident that the episode will have a negative impact on bilateral relations.
Playing the ‘anti’ card on both sides
Various actors in both countries are increasingly playing the “anti” card against each other. Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, anti-Bangladesh sentiment has been amplified across much of India’s political and media space. Analysts expect this narrative to intensify further ahead of the West Bengal provincial election, likely to be held in April.
Conversely, anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh peaked during the Awami League’s rule, as many Bangladeshis believed that Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic governance was sustained by unwavering political backing from New Delhi. These competing narratives have deepened mistrust and narrowed space for constructive engagement.
Policy choices of next govt
The current decisions are being taken by the interim government, which is expected to hand over power in February. This raises a critical question: what policy will the next government adopt toward India?
Former ambassador Md Abdul Hye said the foremost priority must be safeguarding Bangladesh’s national interest. “The upcoming government will determine the future course of ties with the neighbouring countries including India,” he noted.
He added that there is an urgent need to assess the diplomatic fallout of the current tensions and recalibrate relations accordingly. Based on that assessment, the new government will have to redefine its engagement with India in a way that balances realism, national interest, and regional stability.
