Mustafizur Rahman has become only a symbol of a much deeper issue. Behind the episode lies political pressure, with extremist political groups allegedly influencing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to exclude the Bangladeshi pacer—who was bought for INR 92 million—from the Indian Premier League. In response, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken a firm stand.

Citing serious security concerns, the BCB formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday to relocate Bangladesh’s matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup away from India to another country.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7, with matches set to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh, placed in Group C, was supposed to play three matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. However, the BCB believes the current environment in India does not guarantee the safety of the Bangladeshi team. According to the board, the concern extends beyond players to include officials, journalists, and traveling supporters.

Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders announced Mustafizur’s removal from the squad following instructions from the BCCI. Prior to that, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told news agency ANI that recent developments had prompted the board to direct KKR to release the Bangladeshi cricketer.

In an official email to the ICC, the BCB stated that recent incidents have raised serious doubts about the safety of the Bangladesh team in India. After assessing the overall security situation and considering guidance from the Bangladesh government, the board concluded that sending the national team to India under the current circumstances would be unsafe. The letter proposed shifting all Bangladesh matches scheduled in India to another host country and urged the ICC to make a swift decision.

Before this move, BCB directors held two meetings on the issue. Initially, most members favored a cautious approach—seeking detailed security assurances from the ICC. Even if such assurances were provided for the team, concerns remained about the safety of officials and other stakeholders, leading to discussions about relocating matches if necessary.

However, the situation escalated after interim government sports adviser Asif Nazrul publicly condemned Mustafizur’s exclusion, calling it a surrender to extremist communal forces. In a verified Facebook post, he said he had instructed the BCB to clearly explain to the ICC that if a contracted Bangladeshi player cannot safely participate in the IPL, it would be unreasonable to expect the entire national team to feel secure playing a World Cup in India. He also directed the board to request that Bangladesh’s matches be moved to Sri Lanka.

Over the past several days, hardline Hindu nationalist groups and religious organizations in India had openly opposed Mustafizur’s inclusion in KKR. A religious leader in Ujjain even threatened to damage IPL pitches if Bangladeshi players were allowed to play.

Following these developments, the BCB’s emergency executive meeting decided that Bangladesh would not play its World Cup matches in India due to security risks. The decision was immediately communicated to the ICC via email.

Similar reactions came from other members of the interim government. Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki described the IPL decision as shameful and said Bangladeshis were deeply hurt by the politics of hatred involved. Information adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said it was unfortunate that politics had been injected into sports, leaving Bangladesh with no option but to respond.

Bangladesh Football Federation president Tabith Awal also criticized the move, stating that Mustafizur earned his place purely on merit and targeting him because of nationality reflected intolerance and injustice. Former national captain and ex-BCB director Akram Khan backed the decision not to travel to India, saying players cannot perform properly if they feel mentally unsafe.

Some Indian political figures went even further. BJP leader Sangeet Som reportedly labeled KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan a “traitor” for signing Mustafizur and threatened that the player would not be allowed to step outside the airport. Similar threats circulated from other quarters.

Under mounting pressure, the BCCI instructed KKR to drop Mustafizur. While some religious groups welcomed the decision, it also drew criticism within India. Former Indian minister and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor questioned whether the backlash would have been the same had the player been Litton Das or Soumya Sarkar. He asked whether the punishment was aimed at an individual, a country, or a religion, warning that politicizing sports in this way could have dangerous consequences.

Some observers believe the decision is linked to upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, with attempts to secure Hindu votes influencing policy.

As of the time of writing, the ICC had not responded to the BCB’s email. With less than a month remaining before the World Cup, altering the schedule poses logistical challenges. However, political considerations have already shaped the tournament structure, as Pakistan’s matches are set to be played in Sri Lanka due to their refusal to tour India.