A women's football match scheduled to take place in Joypurhat, a city in northwestern Bangladesh, was abruptly cancelled following protests by students from a traditional religious school. The demonstration, which involved hundreds of protesters, resulted in the vandalism of the venue and its facilities. The headmaster of the school, Abu Bakkar Siddique, led the protest alongside his students and teachers, while pupils from other religious schools also participated. The protesters claimed that girls' football is "un-Islamic."
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has condemned the incident, emphasizing their stance on inclusivity in sports. BFF media manager Sadman Sakib stated:
"Football is for everyone, and women have full rights to participate in it."
The situation intensified when clashes erupted between protesters and counterdemonstrators, resulting in four people sustaining injuries. Fortunately, those injured were later discharged from the hospital. The tension in Joypurhat follows a similar demonstration in the nearby city of Dinajpur on Tuesday, which also led to the postponement of a women's football match.
Samiul Hasan Emon, a local witness, described the escalation:
"The Islamists in our area gathered in a field and marched toward the venue. There were hundreds of them."
As the match was called off just half an hour before it was set to begin, organizers acted swiftly to ensure the safety of the players. Moniruzzaman Zia, a tournament official, explained:
"The match was suspended half an hour before it was supposed to kick off. We had to quickly move the girls to a safer place."
The vandalism at the Joypurhat venue rendered it unsafe for players, forcing the authorities to relocate them promptly. This incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding women's participation in sports within certain regions of Bangladesh.
