Bangladeshi singer’s concert called off as mob attacks venue, 20 injured
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Dhaka: At least 20 students were injured in a mob attack in Bangladesh that led to the cancellation of a concert by popular rock singer James, officials and organisers said.
The incident took place on Friday night in Faridpur, amid a recent spate of attacks on cultural institutions across the country. In recent weeks, organisations such as Chhayanaut and Udichi Shilpi Goshthi in Dhaka have been vandalised.
The concert, featuring James, was organised to mark the conclusion of Faridpur Zilla School’s 185th anniversary celebrations. The programme was scheduled to be held late at night on a temporary stage set up within the school premises, according to news portal tbsnews.net.
However, just before the event was due to begin, a group of outsiders attempted to force their way into the venue after being denied entry. The group allegedly hurled bricks and stones and tried to seize control of the stage. Students of the school resisted the attackers, and at least 20 students were injured by flying debris, organisers said.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Azmir Hossain said the exact number of casualties had not yet been confirmed. “The number of injured in the attack is not yet known. We are trying to gather detailed information,” he was quoted as saying by the news portal.
Following the incident and the ensuing volatile situation, the organising committee cancelled the concert on the orders of the Faridpur district administration. The decision was taken by organising committee convener Mustafizur Rahman Shamim, The Daily Star newspaper reported.
James, the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of the Bangladeshi rock band Nagar Baul, has also sung several hit Hindi film songs in Bollywood movies, including Gangster, Woh Lamhe, and Life in a… Metro.
Rajibul Hasan Khan, convener of the programme’s publicity and media sub-committee, said the motive behind the attack remained unclear. “We could not understand why and who carried out the attack on James’ concert. Considering the overall situation, we were compelled to cancel the programme following instructions from the district administration,” he said.
With PTI inputs