Bangladesh has lifted its earlier ban on broadcasting the Indian Premier League (IPL), signaling a shift in stance after months of tension. The decision was confirmed by the country’s Information and Broadcasting Minister, Zahir Uddin Swapan, during a media interaction on 28th March.

The restriction had initially been imposed following controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman, who was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹9.20 crore but was later released. The move reportedly came after informal directions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, amid sensitive political developments.

The situation strained relations between the two cricketing boards, even leading to Bangladesh withdrawing from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. However, recent diplomatic exchanges and improved communication between the nations appear to have eased tensions, paving the way for a more cooperative approach.

Clarifying the government’s current position, Swapan emphasized a neutral and commercial outlook,  “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.”

He further added, “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.”

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has also acknowledged that skipping a major ICC event impacted its standing and is now open to rebuilding ties and correcting past decisions.