JioStar Drops IPL in Bangladesh After Payment Dispute

JioStar, the media arm of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has pulled its rights to show the Indian Premier League in Bangladesh. The company says its local partner failed to meet payment deadlines, so the contract was ended immediately. This decision means that even if Bangladesh lifts its ban on IPL broadcasts, no Bangladeshi channel will air the games. Bangladesh had already barred IPL coverage in January. The move followed a controversy where a Bangladeshi bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, was dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders team after an Indian cricket board request. The incident coincided with rising tensions between the two countries, sparked by a high‑profile murder case.

The official letter from JioStar to Bangladesh’s TSports, dated February 17, stated that the partnership was terminated “with immediate effect. ” The company highlighted that TSports had repeatedly missed payment schedules set in the agreement. A separate notice from the same day also ended JioStar’s rights to show the Women’s Premier League in Bangladesh for similar reasons. The IPL is one of the richest sports leagues worldwide, valued at about $18. 5 billion. It commands a massive fan base in Bangladesh, where cricket is deeply ingrained in the culture. The current season began on March 28, but fans now have no local channel to follow the matches. India and Bangladesh’s diplomatic ties have been uneasy since a political shift in Dhaka last August. The new government has signaled a willingness to rebuild relations based on mutual respect, but sporting exchanges remain stalled. The termination of JioStar’s contracts adds another hurdle for fans and broadcasters alike.

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