The death of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia has cast a shadow of mourning across the country, including its sports fraternity, as major fixtures were postponed on Tuesday as a mark of respect.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced the suspension of all matches following the passing of the country’s first female prime minister.
Khaleda Zia, 80, passed away at the capital’s Evercare Hospital at around 6:00am on Tuesday.
In a media release, the BCB confirmed the postponement of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 2025–26 matches in tribute to the late leader.
“In respect of the nation’s mourning and in honour of Begum Khaleda Zia’s legacy, the BCB announces that today’s scheduled BPL T20 matches—Sylhet Titans vs Chattogram Royals and Dhaka Capitals vs Rangpur Riders—have been cancelled and will be rescheduled,” the release said.
The Bangladesh Football Federation also expressed its condolences and confirmed the suspension of all scheduled football fixtures for the day. These include two Federation Cup matches, three Women’s Football League matches, Dhaka Senior Division League fixtures, and the final of the UCB-BFF U-15 Football League.
“Due to unavoidable circumstances, today’s scheduled matches under the Bangladesh Football Federation have been postponed. Revised fixtures will be announced as soon as possible,” the BFF said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation postponed the scheduled semifinal matches of the National Kabaddi Championships for both men and women.
Several other sporting bodies also expressed their condolences over the passing of the iconic political leader and two-time prime minister, with multiple sporting events postponed nationwide.
