Prominent Islamic scholar Shaykh Ahmadullah has urged Bangladeshis to shun New Year’s Eve street parties and fireworks, arguing that the “Thirty-First Night” culture is wasteful, harmful to public health, and unsupported by Islamic teachings.
In a commentary published Saturday, Ahmadullah said life and time are “precious trusts” that should be spent seeking God’s pleasure, not on “foreign” festivities. He contended that modern New Year’s celebrations trace to pre-Islamic customs and lack sanction in the Qur’an and Sunnah, referencing a hadith that cautions against imitating other peoples’ rites.
Beyond theology, he highlighted social costs: large outlays on fireworks and parties amid winter hardship for the poor; deafening sound systems that distress the elderly, children, and patients; and yearly injuries linked to fireworks and sky lanterns. He warned that late-night street gatherings often fuel hedonism, drug use, and “unrestricted mingling,” pushing youth toward “a consumerist, morally unmoored path.”
Ahmadullah urged families to replace New Year’s Eve revelry with repentance, charitable giving, and sober planning for the year ahead, arguing that the turn of the calendar marks “one more page fallen from life” rather than a magical reset. He called on parents, community leaders, and authorities to protect youth from “misguided culture,” champion local traditions centered on restraint and care for the vulnerable, and ensure quieter neighborhoods for public safety.
“New year” joy, he concluded, should not come at the expense of faith, compassion, or public order—and Bangladesh’s rich cultural heritage should not be eclipsed by imported spectacles.