Prisoners not allowed to enjoy late-night WC matches

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the prison authorities of Bangladesh allowed all prisons across the country to subscribe to a private television channel alongside the state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) to screen the upcoming Football World Cup 2026 for inmates.

However, strict prison regulations mean that inmates will miss out on late-night matches, official sources confirmed on Thursday.

According to jail sources, prisoners housed in general wards will only be able to watch matches broadcast during the daytime and early evening. Prison codes dictate that inmates must be locked in their respective wards at night, rendering midnight or late-night matches inaccessible to the general prison population.

Key Broadcasting Rules and Logistics
Jail officials highlighted several structural and operational constraints regarding television access inside correctional facilities:

Broadcast Windows: Television viewing in general wards is strictly restricted. Inmates are permitted to watch TV from 8:00AM or 9:00AM until 10:00 M. No television watching is permitted after 10:00 PM.

Cell Inmates: Prisoners kept in solitary cells do not have access to television at any time of the day or night.

Rigorous Imprisonment: Inmates sentenced to rigorous imprisonment must perform their assigned labor duties during the day, though special arrangements will be made for them to view morning matches.

Special Permission: The subscription to the private sports channel is a temporary measure and will remain effective only for the duration of the World Cup tournament.

“Inmates are allowed to watch BTV for a specific duration. However, for this World Cup, any prison authority can arrange to screen T-Sports. This will remain effective only during the tournament, and arrangements have been made so that inmates can watch the matches starting from the morning,” said Jannat-ul-Farhad, Assistant Inspector General of Prisons (Development).