Bangladesh opts against sending players to India for T20 World Cup
Wants matches to be shifted to Sri Lanka
Dhaka: In the wake of the controversy regarding Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s ouster from the Indian Premier League (IPL) contract by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) amid increased tension between the neighboring nations over the recent cases of lynching in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided against sending its players to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
It has also now been confirmed that, while the BCB is not pulling out of the World Cup, it no longer finds it safe to send its players to India and wants the World Cup matches to be shifted from India to Sri Lanka.
Asif Nazrul, an advisor to Bangladesh and overseer of the country’s Youth and Sports Ministry, had posted on Facebook also confirmed that the BCB had decided against travelling to India for the T20 World Cup. “Bangladesh will not go to India to play the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken this decision today. We welcome this decision, which has been taken in the context of the aggressive communal policies of the Indian Cricket Board,” he said.
The KKR, which had added the name of the 30-year-old left-arm pacer into its list of players for Rs 9.2 crore, had released the cricketer as instructed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Nazrul, therefore, expressed his apprehension regarding the safety of the other players in India and supported a change of venue for the matches.
“I have instructed the Cricket Control Board to submit a written explanation of the entire matter to the ICC. The Board should clearly state that when a Bangladeshi cricketer, despite being under contract, is unable to play in India, the Bangladesh national team cannot feel safe travelling there to participate in the World Cup. I have also directed the Board to request that Bangladesh's World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka,” Nazrul had written in an earlier Facebook post.
Nazrul has asked the advisor to stop broadcasting IPL matches in Bangladesh. “Additionally, I have asked the Adviser for Information and Broadcasting to suspend the broadcast of IPL matches in Bangladesh. Under no circumstances will we tolerate any disrespect toward Bangladesh cricket, Bangladeshi cricketers, or Bangladesh itself,” he added.
Bangladesh will play against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, England on February 14, and Nepal on February 17. The matches are to be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
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Bengaluru: Karnataka mulls ban social media for children below 16, says Priyank Kharge
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is considering a ban on the use of social media for children below the age of 16, taking inspiration from steps taken by countries such as Australia and Finland, The New Indian Express reported.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and IT-BT, Priyank Kharge, informed the Assembly on Friday that the issue is under discussion. Responding to senior BJP leader and MLA S Suresh Kumar, who expressed concern over the abuse of social media, Kharge admitted that it is a serious issue.
Finland has taken action, the UK is considering similar steps, and Australia imposed a ban two months ago. “We too in the state have launched a digital detoxification programme for responsible use of AI and social media. The IT-BT department, in collaboration with Meta, has been running it by involving over three lakh children and one lakh teachers,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
Kharge said that in March 2025, the government launched the ‘Beyond Screens’ programme to help people dealing with digital addiction. The initiative was announced during the GAFX 2025 summit, along with the opening of a ‘Beyond Screens’ digital detox centre and the launch of an official website.
The detox centre serves as a dedicated hub for resources, counselling and intervention programmes for healthier digital habits.
During the Assembly session, Suresh Kumar also referred to the Economic Survey 2025-26, which was presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The survey recommended that governments consider age-based restrictions on social media use for children.
