Some BJP allies, including JD(U) and TDP leaders, have expressed reservations over the decision to release Bangladesh pacerMustafizur Rahmanfrom the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad. The IPL franchise said the move was taken following a directive from theBoard of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). A BJP source added that decisions which could worsen bilateral ties might have been avoided.
The development comes amid heightened tensions betweenIndia and Bangladeshin recent weeks, following the lynching and burning of a Hindu man in Bangladesh over allegations of blasphemy. Last month, India’sMinistry of External Affairscondemned what it described as “unremitting hostility against minorities.”
However, JD(U) adviserK C Tyagisaid on Tuesday that cricket and politics should not be mixed. Speaking toThe Indian Express, Tyagi said:
“First, cricket and politics should not be mixed. We understand that cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh are not possible under the given circumstances, but cricket could still have been kept out of politics.”
Similarly, TDP leaderLavu Sri Krishna Devarayaluemphasized the need to improve India-Bangladesh relations rather than worsen them:
“Both countries had very good relations. Now, with some strain on it, we need to work on it to improve the ties. There are a lot of avenues we can work on, like trade and sports, etc.”
Sources in the government and BJP suggested that decisions affecting the already-strained relationship could have been avoided. A senior leader said:
“We should differentiate between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Any move that could escalate tension between the neighbours could have been avoided.”
The decision to remove Mustafizur Rahman from KKR has led to Bangladesh refusing to travel to India for theT20 World Cup 2026, citing security concerns. TheBangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)has formally requested theInternational Cricket Council (ICC)to relocate Bangladesh’s matches from India toSri Lanka. The ICC is mediating between the BCCI and BCB, and a decision is awaited. The strained ties have also led Bangladesh to decide against sending umpires to India for the World Cup.
Amid allegations that Mustafizur’s release was due to pressure from religious leaders angered by the treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh, JD(U)’s Tyagi remarked:
“Who are these religious preachers to issue a fatwa against Shah Rukh Khan [a co-owner of KKR]? It smacks of religious bias. Why did they not muster the same courage to criticise actress Juhi Chawla and her businessman husband, Jay Mehta, who together hold 45% stake in KKR?”
Tyagi clarified that his comments were in the capacity of a “vigilant” Indian citizen, not as a JD(U) leader, and that he wanted to “lodge his protest” against “growing acrimony on cricket fields.”
He further said:
“We understand India’s decision not to play against Pakistan, because of the country’s track record of sending terrorists. But what is happening of late between India and Bangladesh is unfortunate.”
JD(U) national spokespersonRajeev Ranjan Prasadmaintained:
“The party’s official stand is clear. What the BCCI and KKR did was a reaction to a chain of incidents against the Hindu minority. The Mohammed Yunus government has failed to rein in fundamentalist forces, leading to the current situation.”
JD(U) MLC and chief spokespersonNeeraj Kumarsaid it was up to the BCCI to decide whether to continue cricketing ties with Bangladesh:
“We do condemn atrocities against the Hindus there, but the BCCI has to think over if India and Bangladesh can still play cricket on neutral venues till tensions between the two countries subside.”
Meanwhile,Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullahquestioned Mustafizur Rahman’s removal, asking whether forcing out an individual player would improve the situation in Bangladesh or strengthen India-Bangladesh relations. He warned that the move could instead deepen mistrust rather than help minorities in the neighbouring country.
