In a bizarre incident 15 Bangladesh men and a Cafe were fined for celebrating Argentina and Barcelona football star Lionel Messi birthday amid Coronavirus Lockdown and Social Distancing rules.
As per news agency AFP report Magistrates accompanied by troops raided a cafe in the Indian border town of Damurhuda on Wednesday as the men, aged between 17 and 32, drank coffee and ate cake to mark the 33rd birthday of the footballer who is popular in Bangladesh.
The report said that they appeared before a mobile court in the street and were fined 100 taka (roughly US$1.15) each, said magistrate Firaz Hossain. The cafe was fined US$70.
“They flouted social distancing rules and went out in the evening. They breached our lockdown order,” Hossain was quoted by AFP.
Football is popular in the Bangladesh , although many Bangladeshis support overseas teams or players.
Zahidul Alam, owner of the Old Town Coffee House, where the party was held, said that despite having to pay the fine he felt for the football fans.
“I could not just send them home as they were very excited about Messi’s birthday,” Alam told AFP.