Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said that Dhaka is considering suspending the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the controversial exclusion of national team pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the tournament.

The remarks come amid strained bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh. On Saturday, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) confirmed that Mustafizur Rahman had been released from the squad ahead of the IPL 2026 season. The franchise said the decision was taken following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Speaking at a forum organised by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum as reported by Bangladesh local media, Hasan said the decision to drop Mustafizur from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad could not be justified.

“If the exclusion had been based on cricketing reasons, there would have been no issue. But the reasoning behind this decision is unacceptable, and we must respond,” she said as reported by the local media.

Hasan added that the government was carefully examining the legal and procedural aspects before taking any action related to IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh.

“We need to review the legal framework and the processes involved before taking any steps. Only then will we decide on the appropriate response,” she said.

KKR’s move has sparked a major controversy, widely referred to as the “SRK row”, owing to the involvement of the team’s co-owner, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. Although KKR’s signing of Mustafizur was in accordance with IPL rules, it triggered political and public backlash in India against the backdrop of diplomatic and communal sensitivities involving Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, tensions have further escalated following another incident of violence against a Hindu individual in Bangladesh. Bajendra Biswas, a Hindu worker, was shot dead on Monday while on duty at a garment factory in Mymensingh, marking the third such incident in three weeks.