A controversial video has surfaced on social media depicting a police official unilaterally banning carrom and television viewing at a local market in Kushtia during the month of Ramadan. The footage, which has sparked a heated debate regarding personal liberty versus religious observance, shows the officer issuing stern warnings to shopkeepers at the Patikabari bazaar.
The Incident in Detail
The events unfolded on the evening of Friday, 20 December 2025, during a market visit by the newly elected Member of Parliament for Kushtia-3, Amir Hamza. Accompanying the MP was Masiul Azam, the In-charge of the Patikabari Police Camp under the Islamic University (IU) Police Station. Despite being in plain clothes, Azam was filmed reprimanding a tea-stall owner upon spotting a carrom match in progress.
In the viral clip, Azam is heard shouting, “I ordered this to be stopped. Why is it still running? Shall I take action? I informed the market committee previously—during the month of Tarawih, no carrom and no TV will be allowed. Why is this continuing?” MP Amir Hamza, standing alongside him, added that as Ramadan is a month of worship, such activities should at least be avoided during prayer times.
Reaction from Local Residents and Trade
By the following evening, the atmosphere at the Patikabari bazaar had noticeably shifted. Most shops were shuttered early, and while a few tea stalls remained open with televisions flickering, the carrom boards—a staple of local social life—remained tucked away.
| Stakeholder | Perspective / Action Taken |
| Masiul Azam (Police Camp In-charge) | Claims the ban is a sign of respect for Islam; alleges superior orders. |
| IU Police Station (OC) | Denied issuing any such restrictive orders to the officer. |
| Kushtia Police SP | Clarified that shop hours and leisure are matters of sentiment, not law. |
| Local Union Member | Argued that youth need entertainment and that a total ban is inappropriate. |
Institutional Disavowal
Despite Officer Azam’s claim that he was acting on “instructions from above,” the senior leadership of the Kushtia police has moved swiftly to distance the force from his remarks. Jasim Uddin, the Superintendent of Police (SP) for Kushtia, emphasised that there is no legal basis for a police-mandated closure of television or games during Ramadan.
“This is not a formal police directive,” the SP stated. “Whether a tea shop remains open or people play games is a matter of personal feeling and religious sentiment, not a criminal offence. There is no question of punishing anyone for these activities.”
The incident has divided social media opinion. While some applaud the move as a gesture of piety, others argue that such “moral policing” oversteps the boundaries of civil law and infringes upon the rights of citizens to engage in harmless recreation.