"We took the sad decision on Saturday night to avoid any untoward incident but are hopeful of organising the meet again in two months' time," BAWF General Secretary Tabiur Rahman told reporters yesterday.

The otherwise low-profile event caught the media spotlight only after zealots decried women's wrestling as tantamount to degrading Islamic values.

The religious zealots even warned the organisers of dire consequences should they go ahead with the competition, which was supposed to be held at Dhanmondi Women's Sports Complex yesterday.

"Female wrestling is nothing but showing off their bodies in front of male audience. This is totally immoral and against the teachings of Islam," said one of the religious leaders, Mohiddin Khan, while talking to The BBC Bengali Service yesterday.

He also claimed their action would not harm Bangladesh's international reputation. "We must remember whatever games and sport we play those must be in line with the Islamic principles."

Originally scheduled to take place at the National Sports Council gymnasium, which is next to the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, the tournament was shifted to Dhanmondi on assurance that proper security would be ensured.

But Sunday morning turned out to be a black day for nearly 50 women wrestlers, who came from across the country to compete in the first-of-its-kind event.

"It's ridiculous. How could they cancel something that is purely sport? It's a shameful crusade against women sports," said an angry Marjina, who came all the way from Jessore.

"I can't understand what's wrong with that. It is not like the WWF (Women's Wrestling Federation) where there is no dress code. Besides, when we trained at our hometown there were no uproar," said Sultana Yesmin, another wrestler.

Other wrestlers however said the postponement was more to do with an internal feud within the wrestling federation than offending religious sentiments.

"There were no protesters around in front of the Women's Sports Complex and we were ready to fight when suddenly we heard that the meet has been called off," said a wrestler, who along with others, took part in the weight examination the previous night.

She also feared the postponement would set a bad example in the sports arena as it would encourage fundamentalists to extend their ban on other women's sports like football, volleyball and swimming.

Dhanmondi police, meanwhile, patrolled the vicinity of the venue and did not find any troublemakers.

"We went to the venue in the morning only to learn that the organisers had cancelled it," said Akhteruzzaman, a sub-inspector of Dhanmondi Police Station.