Dhaka: In a move reflecting the changing rules under the interim government of Mohammad Yunus, the celebration of New Year's Eve will be strictly regulated in Bangladesh.

The government has issued a directive prohibiting certain festivities on December 31, including alcohol consumption in bars and the lighting of fireworks or flying lanterns.

On Sunday, the Home Affairs Advisor, retired Lieutenant General Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, announced that all regular bars will remain closed on New Year's Eve, and no fireworks or lanterns will be allowed. This decision, according to him, was made to maintain law and order during the celebrations.

However, he reassured the public that Christmas and New Year's celebrations would proceed smoothly. The primary concern remains ensuring there are no disturbances in law and order, prompting the government to take these measures.

This comes just days after a hardline, conservative group in Gopalganj imposed a ban on women entering markets, claiming they should not have the right to shop there. They even went as far as instructing shopkeepers not to sell products to women. This new set of rules from the Yunus administration raises questions about whether the government is adopting a similar path of restriction for the New Year's celebration.