Last update on: Mon Mar 3, 2025 08:05 AM
Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury yesterday urged the public to refrain from smoking in open spaces as people are criticising a recent attack on two women by a group of men in the capital’s Lalmatia.
“From what I understand, the two women were reportedly smoking when some people, who were on their way to say their prayers, intervened. In the altercation, the women allegedly threw tea on them,” the home adviser said in reply to a question from a journalist while visiting the Public Order Management (POM) Police Lines in Mirpur.
“As you all know, smoking in public is prohibited for both men and women… It is an offence. Therefore, I request that no one smokes in public spaces. Especially during this month of Ramadan, everyone needs to show more restraint,” he said.
He added that “religious advisers” are also urging everyone not to eat or drink in public, as it is a sign of disrespect for those who are fasting.
On Saturday evening, two women were taken into custody after they got engaged in an altercation with locals for smoking in public, police said.
The women were physically assaulted by the group of men.
Jewel Rana, additional deputy commissioner of Mohammadpur zone, said the women were escorted to Mohammadpur Police Station for their safety.
According to police, the women were smoking at a tea stall in Lalmatia, behind Aarong, when some locals confronted them, asking them not to smoke in public. The situation escalated into a heated argument, prompting police intervention.
Meanwhile, the home adviser also requested that businessmen refrain from increasing the prices of goods during Ramadan.
“You will see that in other religions, during their religious events, they reduce the prices of goods. However, in our country, the opposite happens. During Ramadan, prices are actually raised.”
He urged businessmen to lower the prices to ease the burden on consumers.
Compared to last Ramadan, the prices are somewhat lower this time, he said.
