The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. The decision follows the controversial release of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The BCB's concerns arose after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly advised KKR to release Rahman, a move that has been interpreted as a sign of strained relations between the two nations. This action, coupled with escalating political tensions and reported hostility towards minorities in Bangladesh, has led to significant apprehension regarding the safety of the Bangladeshi cricket team in India.

Bangladesh's Sports Advisor, Asif Nazrul, stated that the BCB was instructed to inform the ICC that if a contracted Bangladeshi player cannot play safely in India, the entire team cannot feel secure participating in the World Cup there. Nazrul condemned the decision to remove Rahman from KKR, asserting that Bangladesh would not tolerate disrespect towards its cricket, cricketers, or the country itself. He further added, "The days of slavery are over".

The BCB held an emergency meeting where 17 directors decided that Bangladesh would not play any of its World Cup matches on Indian soil. The BCB has sent a formal request to the ICC to consider relocating all of Bangladesh's matches to a venue outside of India. An email was sent to the ICC stating, "Due to security concerns, it is not possible to send the team to India for the T20 World Cup".

Bangladesh is scheduled to play against the West Indies (Feb 7), Italy (Feb 9), and England (Feb 14) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, and against Nepal (Feb 17) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The ICC has not yet responded to the BCB's request. However, the BCCI has reportedly dismissed the possibility of shifting the matches, citing logistical impossibilities.

Asif Nazrul also mentioned that he has requested the Minister of Information and Broadcasting to halt the broadcast of IPL matches in Bangladesh.

The situation has added a political dimension to the cricketing relations between India and Bangladesh. Political relations between the two countries have reportedly soured since a mass uprising in Dhaka in 2024.