Bangladesh lifts IPL broadcast ban, allows telecast — Where can cricket fans watch Indian Premier League LIVE?
Bangladesh has lifted the ban on IPL broadcasts, allowing fans to watch the 2026 tournament. The information minister indicated that there are no barriers to telecasting, and previous government directives are no longer valid.
Ahead of the most awaited cricket tournament — the Indian Premier League, Bangladesh dismissed IPL broadcast ban and allowed telecast. This implies that cricket fans in the neighbouring nation will be able to watch IPL 2026 tournament on their television sets.
This major decision comes after the newly appointed information and broadcasting minister Zahir Uddin Swapan, said there is no bar on telecasting the upcoming Indian Premier League in Bangladesh, Cricbuzz reported.
"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," Deutsche Welle quoted Zahir Uddin Swapan as saying.
Over Star Sports telecasting the IPL, Swapan added, “We will not bar anyone from telecasting it. If Star Sports want 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.”
‘Directives of interim government do not have any value’
The previous interim government led by Muhammad Yunus had banned the IPL from being telecast in Bangladesh. According to the Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh's office secretary, Rezaul Karim Lablu, there are no directives from the government to stop Star Sports from telecasting the IPL.
Emphasizing that directives of interim government hold no value, Rezaul Karim Lablu sai, “If Star Sports telecast the IPL in Bangladesh, they can do it because no one has asked us to stop it.”
Dismissing IPL broadcast ban, he added, “Those directives of the interim government do not have any value. If this government asks us to stop it, we will do so, because the previous government's directives are no longer in place.”
IPL 2026 schedule
As per the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 bash will kick off today, March 28. The day will see a faceoff between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A total of 10 franchises will be battling it out for a shot at the coveted title.
With 84 matches in the schedule, this IPL will be the biggest season so far. Typically, 74 matches are listed in the schedule, including the knockouts. From 26 May 2026, the playoffs for the IPL will begin. Bengaluru will host Qualifier 1 with the final on 31 May 2026.