New Delhi, March 28: The Bangladesh government has opened the doors for the broadcasting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which is set to begin on Saturday. According to media reports, the newly appointed Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Zahid Uddin Swapan, stated that there will be no restrictions on the broadcasting of the upcoming IPL season in Bangladesh.

Swapan mentioned, “No one has applied to us for IPL broadcasting. We do not want to mix politics with sports. We will look at it from a commercial perspective. If any channel applies for IPL broadcasting, we will consider it positively.”

Previously, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Aminul Haque, had indicated to ‘Cricbuzz’ that he would discuss the matter with relevant authorities following a ban on IPL broadcasting imposed by the previous interim government.

When asked if Star Sports could broadcast the IPL, Swapan hinted at the possibility, saying, “We will not stop anyone from broadcasting it. If Star Sports wants to broadcast it, they can. If any of our channels wish to do so, we will take it positively, but we will not force anyone.”

Rezaul Karim Lablu, the office secretary of the Bangladesh Cable Operators Association, stated that they will not prevent Star Sports from broadcasting the IPL, as no directives have been received from the government regarding this matter.

The first match of IPL 2026 will be played on March 28 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The following day, Mumbai Indians (MI) will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently released the schedule for the second phase of this season, with league matches set to continue until May 24. The schedule for the playoff matches is expected to be announced in the coming days.

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