Dhaka [Bangladesh], March 28 (ANI): Bangladesh Sports Minister Aminul Haque said on Saturday that the decision on whether to lift the ban on broadcasting the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bangladesh will be made after the information minister returns to the country from abroad.

The information minister of Bangladesh, Zahiruddin Swapan, is currently on an official tour abroad. He is expected to return to Bangladesh on March 30.

'We will make the decision about lifting the ban on IPL broadcast in Bangladesh after consulting with the Information Minister. The Information Minister is currently on a foreign tour, and once he returns to the country, we will discuss it with him. In fact, after gaining more detailed knowledge on the matter, we will consult with him and then make a decision,' Aminul Haque told ANI over the phone.

The sports minister also said that the Information Ministry had sent a letter to the Ministry of Sports to seek their opinion on this matter.

Earlier, in protest against the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders not allowing Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman to play, the Bangladesh interim government decided to ban the live broadcast of the IPL in Bangladesh.

On January 5, the interim government of Bangladesh issued a letter instructing that all live broadcasting of the IPL, or any IPL-related events in Bangladesh, should be halted until further notice.

Then, on February 12, following the general election in Bangladesh, the new democratic government took office, and after assuming power, the Ministry of Information sent a letter to the Ministry of Sports to inquire whether the ban on IPL broadcasting would be lifted.

The Ministry had stated that, so far, they have not received the opinion from the Ministry of Sports. Once the opinion is received, a decision will be made based on it.

IPL 2026 is set to kick off from March 28, with the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad, while KKR will begin their campaign against five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on March 29. (ANI)