Women’s football match suspended in Dirai after local clerics protest

A women’s friendly football match in Sunamganj’s Dirai has been suspended after local clerics objected to the event, citing concerns over what they described as indecent behaviour.

The match between teenage players from Sylhet’s Zara Sporting Club and Dirai’s Swapnochura Sporting Club was scheduled for 4:30pm Monday (October 5) the upazila mini stadium.

Swapnochura Sporting Club President and coach Rakib Ahmed Bhuiyan said the organisers had informed the upazila administration and police about the match in advance.

According to organisers, several local clerics met Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sanjib Sarkar on Sunday night after news of the match spread. They returned to the UNO’s office on Monday morning and demanded that the match be stopped.

Mawlana Sharif Uddin, who identified himself as president of the Dirai Islam-Birodhi Karjokolap Protirodh Committee, said they initially understood that the participants would be teenage girls but objected after public announcements described the event as a women’s football match.

He said their concern was about alleged indecency, not sports itself.

UNO Sanjib Sarkar said the organisers had obtained permission to use the stadium about five or six days earlier but that the organising group was not registered.

He said both sides were advised to resolve the issue through discussion and avoid any situation that could disturb public order.

Rakib said both the administration and police later advised them to suspend the match. The organisers decided to call it off to prevent any disorder and may reconsider the event if the situation returns to normal.

Dirai police chief Aminul Islam said police were prepared to provide security but the organisers ultimately suspended the match themselves. He said the overall situation in the area remained calm.