Fans frustrated as BCB reimposes food and drink ban at Mirpur

Several fans expressed dismay at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday after discovering that food and water brought from outside was no longer permitted inside the venue -- a reversal of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) earlier decision that had allowed it for just one match -- leaving them at the mercy of vendors who use exploitative pricing and provide low-quality refreshments inside the stadium.

Four young fans were stopped at the gate with two-liter water bottles. "We didn't know the policy had changed again. This wasn't the case in the first match," one of them said, expressing surprise and frustration.

Engineer Fuad Omar, a regular attendee, criticised the abrupt U-turn. "This is very disappointing. I see it as a violation of a citizen's fundamental rights," he told The Daily Star on Tuesday. "What is the connection between food and water and security? Was security compromised last time?"

Jamirul Islam, a physically challenged footballer for the Bangladesh Amputee Football Team, echoed similar concerns. "This is nothing short of harassment. Why did we buy water and food only to be stopped at the gate? How are we supposed to keep track of daily decision changes?"

Nabi Alam, another member of the team, questioned the motive behind the reversal. "They've stopped this opportunity just to make money. It's business now."

Explaining the reversal, BCB Director Iftekhar Rahman Mithu said: "We wanted everyone to have this opportunity. But on the first day, people brought items that were hard to inspect properly. According to ICC guidelines, anything that can be thrown onto the field is considered a security risk. So we decided not to take the chance."

About 40 minutes before the game, many fans still arrived with their own food, unaware of the policy change.

For years, outside food and drinks have been banned in the stadium, with limited, expensive options available inside -- mostly controlled by parties close to the BCB. This long-standing arrangement has drawn criticism from fans and it is worth noting that the same substandard vendors returned, offering fans poor quality food and drink items at inflated prices.

Spectator Parvez said: "Even if foreign venues don't allow outside food, they at least offer decent food inside at fair prices. Here, I'd rather stay hungry than pay for the poor-quality food being sold."