Asif Nazrul calls for IPL broadcast ban in Bangladesh

Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul has strongly condemned the decision to drop Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League and has called for the tournament’s broadcast to be halted in Bangladesh.

Kolkata Knight Riders released Mustafizur following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, BCCI. In a post on his verified Facebook page, Asif Nazrul said the Indian cricket board had bowed to extremist communal groups by directing Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Mustafizur from the squad.

He said he had requested the information and broadcasting adviser to take steps to stop the broadcast of IPL matches in Bangladesh. “We will not accept any insult to Bangladesh, its cricket or its cricketers under any circumstances. The days of submission are over,” he wrote.

Following the decision, Asif Nazrul also expressed concern over the safety of Bangladeshi players at the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in India in February. According to the schedule, Bangladesh are set to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai during the first round.

He said he had instructed the Bangladesh Cricket Board to write to the International Cricket Council, explaining the situation and seeking to have Bangladesh’s World Cup matches shifted to Sri Lanka. He added that if a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite having a valid contract, the national team cannot feel safe travelling there for the World Cup.