Dhaka, February 23 – A Bangladeshi police officer ordered a tea stall owner to stop playing carrom and watching television during Ramadan in Kushtia Sadar upazila, despite the absence of any directive from senior authorities, according to local media reports.
The incident took place in the Patikabari Bazar area during a visit by Kushtia-3 Jamaat-e-Islami MP Amir Hamza, accompanied by Moshiul Azam, in charge of the Patikabari Police Camp under the Islamic University Police Station.
A video recorded on the night of February 20 and widely circulated on social media shows Moshiul Azam angrily pointing at the tea stall owner and declaring, "No carrom, no TV — that's final during Ramadan."
"They are playing carrom there. Didn't I shut it down? Why is it running? Shall I have you beaten? Didn't I call the market committee the other day and say that for one month during Taraweeh, no carrom, no TV will run? Why is it running?" the police officer was quoted as saying by The Daily Star, Bangladesh's leading newspaper.
At that time, MP Amir Hamza, standing beside the police officer, said in a comparatively calmer tone: "It is the month of Ramadan, a month of worship. Whatever you do, at least do not do these during prayer times."
Reports suggest that the following night, on February 21, most shops in the market, including the tea stall, were closed, while a few establishments were open with shutters partially closed as work continued inside.
Another tea stall in the market, owned by Ramzan, remained open. The television was on, but no carrom games were being played.
When asked about the police warning regarding television viewing, Ramzan lowered his head and said, "Only a few people sit here. They just watch TV a bit."
Kashem, a ward council member of Patikabari union, who arrived at the stall at the time, said it was not appropriate to shut everything down suddenly, noting that young people need some recreation.
However, Officer-in-Charge Masud Rana of Islamic University Police Station said that no such instructions had been given to subordinates, according to The Daily Star.
Superintendent of Police in Kushtia, Jasim Uddin, also confirmed it, saying that the incident did not reflect any official police order.
"Whether tea stalls remain open during fasting is not a matter of law. It is a matter of people's sentiments — whether they follow it or not. We cannot punish anyone for that," he said.