A man killed following a spat over Lionel Messi’s missed penalty shot was among at least 12 people killed in Bangladesh during the football World Cup.
Millions of people across Bangladesh have thrown their support behind Argentina and Brazil since the start of this year’s FIFA World Cup, in a display of football fandom that transcends national borders.
The country’s love for the two Latin American nations hundreds of kilometres away has often turned friends into rivals and turned violent during the match days.
Md Shariful Islam, 38, was killed after a altercation between football supporters in Cumilla turned violent during last week’s Argentina-Egypt match when Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir saved Messi’s penalty.
The rickshaw driver was watching the match along with the locals at a tea stall when he was assaulted by “Argentina supporters” for mocking the Argentine great’s missed penalty, according to local reports.
Islam was a Brazil fan and a sole breadwinner of his family who earned a living by driving a battery-powered rickshaw. “How can people kill someone over a football match,” asked his wife, Beauty Begum.
“I have two daughters. Who will they call father now? My two daughters have become orphans. I want the harshest punishment for those who killed my husband.”
Several people have died in separate incidents across the country, including fatal assaults, alleged stabbings, electrocutions, and road crashes.
Clashes between rival student groups at Maulana Bhasani Science and Technology University in Tangail left at least 10 people, including an assistant proctor, injured and saw several academic buildings vandalised.
Fayaz Tajrian died on 8 July in a motorcycle crash in Chattogram while travelling to watch the Argentina-Egypt match, according to reports.
A football-related dispute turned deadly in Narail, where Mostafa Kazi was hacked to death.
In separate incidents, Mahidul Islam was killed when a goalpost collapsed during celebrations in Chattogram, while Khokon Karmakar collapsed and died before a friendly match organised by supporters in Barguna.
Earlier in June, dozens of people suffered injuries in clashes between supporters of Brazil and Argentina following a local football match in Habiganj.
Bangladesh’s love for football was acknowledged by Fifa and Argentine players in 2022, who were overwhelmed by the backing they received from a nation almost 17,000km away from home.
The game of football was introduced to undivided India’s then-capital, Calcutta, by its British colonisers in the 19th century.
A study found that 23 people died in 2022 during the last World Cup due to clashes between rival fan groups.
In 2014, at least three died while hanging flags from electric wiring, Time reported. In 2018, a 12-year-old boy was electrocuted while putting up a Brazil flag, while a man and his son were critically injured in clashes between rival fan processions.
