Shashi Tharoor slams BCCI after KKR releases Mustafizur Rahman from IPL

Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after Kolkata Knight Riders were directed to terminate the contract of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman.

Mustafizur’s inclusion in the KKR squad came under scrutiny following the killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh. With reports of targeted atrocities against Hindus emerging from the country, the BCCI faced backlash from several quarters.

On Saturday, January 1, the BCCI instructed KKR to release the player, who had been bought for Rs 9.2 crore. The board assured the franchise that it would be permitted to sign a replacement.

Tharoor, however, reacted strongly to the decision, calling it deplorable to punish a cricketer because of the political situation in his country.

The Congress leader took to X to voice his disagreement, questioning whether the BCCI would have acted similarly if the player in question belonged to a different religion.

“Recalling my views on the subject, now that the BCCI has



deplorably pulled the plug on Mustafizur Rahman. And what if the Bangladeshi player in question had been Litton Das or Soumya Sarkar? Who are we punishing here: a nation, an individual, his religion? Where will this mindless politicising of sport lead us?” Tharoor wrote on Saturday, shortly after KKR’s announcement.

At least 71 incidents linked to blasphemy allegations against members of the Hindu minority were recorded across Bangladesh between June and December 2025, according to a report by the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM).

The report documents a range of actions, including arrests, mob violence, vandalism of homes, expulsions from educational institutions, and fatal attacks, spread across more than 30 districts. In several cases, minors were among those accused.

Rights groups have warned that the pattern indicates a deeper, systemic vulnerability for religious minorities in the country. India has also raised concerns, describing the situation as one of “unremitting hostility” towards minorities in the neighbouring nation.