Women footballers prevented from playing in Rangpur, section 144 imposed

It has been alleged that women football players were stopped from playing in an inter-district football tournament in Taraganj, Rangpur. The incident took place at 3:00 pm on Thursday (February 6) at the Burirhat High School ground in Sayar union.

A match between the women’s football teams of Joypurhat and Rajshahi was scheduled for today in the inter-district tournament. However, Ashraf Ali, the president of Islami Andolan Bangladesh's Taraganj upazila, announced the match's cancellation over a loudspeaker and called for a protest march to halt the game.

The match was set for 3:00 pm, and the field had been prepared beforehand. The players arrived, but tensions escalated between the two groups following the announcement to cancel the match. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Rubel Rana, then facilitated a discussion with local leaders and representatives from both sides. However, as neither side was willing to compromise, the match was called off, and Section 144 was imposed to avoid any potential incidents.

UNO Rubel Rana said, "A meeting was held with the match organizers, leaders of Islami Andolan Bangladesh from Taraganj, and leaders of the Ittehad Ul Ulama organization. Representatives from Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP, and other local dignitaries were also present. However, no one was willing to make concessions. To maintain law and order, I consulted with the District Commissioner, and Section 144 was imposed around 3:30 pm."

In the afternoon, when visiting the Burirhat High School ground, it was observed that the well-prepared field was surrounded by police and military personnel. The female players left without having the chance to play.

Ashraf Ali, president of Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Taraganj upazila, said, "Our demand was to stop the match, and the administration has done so. We have withdrawn all our programs."

Nayan Mia, one of the organizers, said, "This match was arranged to bring joy to the football fans in the area. However, Ashraf Ali, a leader from the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, canceled the match without understanding the situation. The players have left, and now the administration has imposed Section 144."