An incident of violence disrupted the concluding night of the 185th anniversary and reunion celebration of Faridpur Zilla School on Friday, when outsiders threw bricks and stones during a concert, forcing the program to be canceled. The incident occurred around 9:30 pm at the school premises while popular musician James was performing.
The reunion event was organized primarily for registered former and current students. However, a large crowd of unregistered people gathered outside the school to watch the concert. As space inside the premises was limited, they were not allowed entry. Organizers had set up two large projectors outside the school to accommodate the crowd, but this failed to calm the situation.
According to witnesses, around 9:30 pm, sections of the crowd attempted to climb over the school wall to enter the premises. When security personnel intervened, bricks and stones were thrown indiscriminately toward the school grounds and the stage. Around 25 to 30 people, including organizing committee convener Mostafizur Rahman Shamim, were injured. Several of the injured were taken to hospital for treatment.
A brief scuffle broke out after four to five individuals managed to climb into the premises. Benazir Ahmed Tabriz, a member of the security subcommittee, said the situation continued to deteriorate, prompting organizers to cancel the event shortly before 10 pm to ensure the safety of attendees.
Faridpur Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Shahidul Islam said the news of the concert had drawn an estimated crowd of 20,000 to 25,000 people, far exceeding the venue’s capacity. He said the performance was canceled to prevent further chaos and injuries.
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