A celebratory evening marking the 185th anniversary and reunion of the historic Faridpur Zilla School ended in a state of violent disarray on Friday night. The much-anticipated headline performance by the legendary rock musician James was abandoned after thousands of unauthorised spectators, frustrated at being denied entry, laid siege to the school premises. The ensuing chaos left dozens injured and forced organisers to evacuate the venue under a hail of projectiles.
The trouble began shortly after 9:30 pm when the scale of the gathering outside the school gates reached a breaking point. While the reunion was a private, ticketed affair restricted to registered alumni and current students, the allure of the “Nagar Baul” superstar drew a massive throng to the neighbouring Mujib Road. Local law enforcement estimated that between 20,000 and 25,000 people had congregated in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the performance.
Despite the organisers’ attempts to de-escalate the situation by installing large outdoor projectors for the public, the crowd’s frustration boiled over. Groups of outsiders began attempting to scale the school’s perimeter walls to bypass security. When met with resistance from the school’s internal security team, the mob transitioned to a coordinated assault, hurling brickbats and stones over the walls and directly onto the stage and the seated audience.
The violence resulted in a significant number of casualties, with approximately 30 people sustaining injuries. Among those struck by the flying debris was Mostafizur Rahman Shamim, the Convenor of the Reunion Committee. The situation turned even more volatile when several intruders successfully breached the compound, leading to brief but intense scuffles with the students inside before the intruders were eventually repelled.
Incident Overview: Faridpur Zilla School Riot
| Metric | Details |
| Occasion | 185th Anniversary and Alumni Grand Reunion |
| Headline Act | James (Nagar Baul) |
| Crowd Estimate | 20,000 to 25,000 external spectators |
| Casualty Count | 25–30 injured; multiple hospitalisations |
| Security Measure | External projectors installed (failed to pacify) |
| Final Decision | Full cancellation of cultural programme |
Faced with a deteriorating security situation and the risk of a stampede or further injury to high-profile guests, Benazir Ahmed Tabriz, a representative of the Security Sub-committee, officially announced the cancellation of the concert just before 10:00 pm. The decision was made in consultation with local authorities to ensure the safe exit of the registered guests and the performers.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of the Faridpur Kotwali Police Station, later clarified that the sheer density of the crowd made it an impossible task to secure the perimeter effectively. He noted that the popularity of the artist simply overwhelmed the venue’s capacity, leading to the “unfortunate breakdown of order.” While the school’s landmark anniversary was intended to be a night of nostalgia and music, it will instead be remembered for a security failure that left a trail of injuries and a cancelled show.