Political strain clouds Bangladesh Premier League telecast in India

Mumbai: Rising political tensions between India and Bangladesh are beginning to spill over into the media and sports broadcasting ecosystem. After the Bangladesh government banned the telecast of the Indian Premier League, attention has now shifted to whether India will respond with restrictions on the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

So far, the Indian government has not issued any directive barring the telecast of Bangladeshi sporting events. In the absence of regulatory clarity, the BPL continues to be streamed in India on Dream Sports-owned FanCode, which is also available via DTH platform Tata Play.

FanCode declined to comment.


The issue gained prominence after Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman, citing a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. KKR had acquired the left-arm seamer at last month's IPL players' auction for '9.2 crore.

Following Mustafizur's release, the Bangladesh government responded by banning the IPL broadcast in the country. It also approached the International Cricket Council, requesting that Bangladesh's matches for the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, be shifted to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns.

The ICC has reportedly rejected the request, stating that there was no valid basis to relocate Bangladesh's matches outside India.

"The BCCI or the official IPL broadcaster does not stand to lose much due to the IPL ban in Bangladesh," said a senior industry executive. "Bangladeshi cricket, however, has more at stake given its commercial dependence on Indian platforms and companies."

Industry executives say the Bangladesh Cricket Board has historically struggled to find a broadcast partner in India, with Bangladesh cricket rights seen as commercially unattractive. In 2022, Sony Pictures Networks India acquired the broadcast rights for India's tour of Bangladesh in a one-off deal.

Meanwhile, Bengali-focused streaming platform Hoichoi, which has a strong footprint in Bangladesh, is maintaining a low profile amid the uncertainty. The Kolkata-headquartered platform, owned by SVF Entertainment, counts Bangladesh as its largest market outside India. Sources said Hoichoi operates in Bangladesh as a local entity, with locally produced content and local employees.Industry sources also noted that piracy of Indian television and digital content remains rampant in Bangladesh following the exit of Indian broadcasters from the market due to regulatory challenges and unpaid dues.