Fervent support for football giants Argentina and Brazil has sparked a political and religious row in Bangladesh after a hardline preacher called on supporters to take down flags of the South American nations and replace them with Islamic flags in an effort to counter the World Cup fever that has gripped the country.
Supporters of a hardline Bangladeshi preacher have heeded his call to counter fan frenzy around the World Cup by raising Islamic flags across the constitutionally secular country, putting police on alert, the force said Wednesday.
Football is extremely popular in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, with hundreds of thousands of fans supporting mainly Brazil and Argentina.
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Mufti Harun Izhar, a Muslim religious leader, has urged supporters in a recent speech to take down the flags of Argentina and Brazil and raise white flags bearing the Kalima – profession of faith – wherever they could.
Such Islamic flags were raised in more than a dozen districts, leading police to say they would "act if these flags create a law and order situation".
"We are on alert," police spokesman Shahadat Hossain told AFP.
Since Izhar's speech has circulated online, supporters have also held motorcycle rallies carrying the flags while playing religious songs.
The preacher told AFP that "there should be restraint in displaying support for Argentina, Brazil or any other country".
Izhar stressed that the white flags raised by his supporters should not be confused with those used by Afghanistan's Taliban authorities or the black banners of the Islamic State group.
"Secularists have certain attitudes towards these flags, and readily label them Taliban flags or ISIS flags – that is not correct," he said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.
Zahed Ur Rahman, an adviser to the prime minister, said the government was closely following the issue.
"This could send the wrong message globally," he told reporters on Tuesday.
Some fans have also pushed back.
"Football helps people forget their hardships and challenges for a while," said Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chisty, a passionate Brazil fan.
"For us, football is the ultimate form of entertainment."
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
