Teknaf: Residents' angry reaction over organizing a football tournament on a madrasa ground; demand to stop the tournament.

Daily Bijoy News Teknaf (Cox's Bazar) Correspondent:

Some unscrupulous individuals, led by local BNP and Jubo Dal leaders, are planning to organize a football tournament on the grounds of Rangikhali Darul Uloom Fazil Degree Madrasa, a traditional educational institution in Teknaf. This has sparked an angry reaction in the area. Extreme disappointment prevails among guardians and students. Locals fear that a chaotic situation may arise at any moment.

Locals complain that despite the madrasa ground being adjacent to another women's madrasa and a mosque, organizing a tournament with outsiders on the madrasa ground has seriously raised questions about the madrasa's environment. It has been announced through the publicity leaflets of the tournament organizing committee that the inaugural match is scheduled to be held on December 12th. No kind of permission was taken from the madrasa's Governing Body to conduct this tournament.

According to reliable sources, neither the committee president nor anyone concerned gave permission to organize a football tournament with outsiders on the madrasa ground. A group backed by BNP and Jubo Dal is going ahead with organizing the football tournament on the madrasa ground by overriding influence. Organizing the football tournament on the ground adjacent to the madrasa and mosque by bypassing the entire madrasa authorities, including the Governing Body President, and by using unethical influence, will severely damage the madrasa's image.

Meanwhile, many political figures believe that if this tournament is organized, the party's reputation will be tarnished due to a couple of BNP and Jubo Dal leaders. Grassroots BNP leaders and activists have appealed to District BNP President Alhaj Shahjahan Chowdhury and Upazila BNP President Adv. Hasan Siddiqui to intervene and stop this unauthorized football tournament on the madrasa ground.

When questioned about organizing a football tournament with outsiders at a religious educational institution without the Governing Body's permission, one of the convening committee members, Abu Hanif, claimed that permission had been obtained. When asked in another question that neither the committee nor anyone concerned had given permission, this member of the convening committee said, "If permission is obtained, the game will proceed. If not, it will not proceed."

Local Member Jamal Hossain said, "Some people from BNP are organizing a football match on the madrasa ground. It is unfortunate." However, he expressed concern about the matter.

Governing Body member and guardian Nurul Bashar said, "Since the establishment of the madrasa, I have never seen a tournament organized like this with outsiders." Stating that permission was not taken from anyone concerned in the Governing Body, he further said, "We don't know from whom they are taking permission to organize this tournament. This will be extremely damaging for the madrasa," and he demanded the game be stopped.

Regarding this matter, the acting principal of the madrasa, Rafiqul Alam, was called several times on his mobile phone. As the mobile phone was not received, his statement could not be taken. Attempts to contact Teknaf Upazila Executive Officer and President of Upazila Sports Association, Md. Imamul Hafiz Nadim, were also unsuccessful in obtaining a statement.

The President of the Madrasa Governing Body, Principal Maulana Nur Ahmad Anwari, said, "Outsiders have no authority to conduct a tournament on the madrasa ground. The organizers concerned did not take any kind of permission from the Madrasa Governing Body."

When asked, District BNP President Alhaj Shahjahan Chowdhury said, "I know nothing about the game." In response to a question about being made the chief guest, he clearly stated, "I will not go there."

Daily Bijoy News/ Shamsul Alam Sharek