Kushtia village mosque committee threatens social boycott over loudspeaker use

A mosque committee in a village in Kushtia has imposed a ban on playing music through sound systems and microphones, threatening that violators could face social boycott, including possible expulsion from local mosques, madrasas, and cemeteries.

The announcement was made in Majgram village under Shilaidaha Union of Kumarkhali Upazila, where the committee of the local mosque carried out daylong public announcements on Thursday.

A video of the announcement has since circulated on social media.

According to mosque officials, the decision was taken following a meeting after Friday prayers on March 27.

Imam and khatib Maulana Waliullah Faridi said the move was aimed at controlling excessive noise from events such as weddings and circumcision ceremonies, which had been causing inconvenience to worshippers and the sick.

He clarified that events can still be held in designated areas, but the use of high-volume sound systems would be discouraged.

However, the announcement—reportedly warning of exclusion from the mosque, madrasa, and even burial grounds for non-compliance—has triggered controversy. While some residents support the decision as necessary to curb noise pollution, others view it as an infringement on personal freedoms.

Local resident Rupa Khatun said a recent dispute over a family event escalated unnecessarily, claiming that sound levels had been kept low and turned off during prayer times.

Several residents, speaking anonymously, said such restrictions have no legal basis and that noise concerns should be addressed through administrative channels.

Mosque committee president Amir Hossain said the intention was not to impose a blanket ban but to regulate excessive noise, adding that he was unaware of the exact wording used in the public announcements.

Kushtia Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin and District Commissioner Md Touhid Bin-Hasan both confirmed that the matter is under review. No such directive had been issued by the administration and discussions with relevant parties are ongoing.

Cultural figure Liton Abbas criticised the move, calling it unacceptable to curtail individual freedoms, and urged proper investigation and necessary action.