Bangladesh rockstar James concert in Faridpur called off after ‘mob attack’ leaves 25 injured

A concert by popular Bangladeshi rockstar James, also known as Nagar Baul, was cancelled on Friday night after a “mob attack” at the Faridpur Zila School campus reportedly left at least 25 people injured.

The concert was scheduled to begin around 9:30 pm on December 26, on the school grounds, Daily Sun reported on Saturday.

However, moments before the performance, a group of outsiders allegedly tried to force their way into the venue after being denied entry.

Witnesses told local media that the agitators allegedly hurled bricks and stones and tried to take control of the stage.

Students of Faridpur Zila School resisted, forcing the attackers to retreat. Several students were injured in the incident, the Daily Sun reported.

It added that around 10:00 pm, convener of the organising committee Dr Mustafizur Rahman Shamim announced that the concert had been cancelled following instructions from the Faridpur Deputy Commissioner.

A purported video showed scenes from the concert, wherein a group of people, wielding sticks, could be seen rushing to the venue.

James, widely known as the “Guru of Rock" in Bangladesh, managed to leave the venue safely and was not harmed.

Rajibul Hasan Khan, convener of the publicity and media sub-committee of the anniversary programme, was quoted as saying that all preparations had been in place to ensure a successful concert, but the sudden attack led to chaos.

He said at least 15 to 20 students of the school were injured.

Considering the overall situation and on the directive of the district administration, the organisers were compelled to cancel the event, he added.

This comes after Bangladesh newspaper The Daily Star reported that a Hindu youth identified as Amrit Mondal was lynched at Hosendanga village of Kalimohor union in Rajbari's Pangsha sub-district over an extortion allegation.

Earlier, a worker in a garment factory, Dipu Chandra Das, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy charges and had his body hanged and set on fire on December 18.

The Daily Star, citing Mymensingh's Additional Superintendent of Police, Abdullah Al Mamun, stated that a factory official had informed Bhaluka police that a group of workers attacked Dipu inside the factory, accusing him of making "derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)" in a Facebook post.

However, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-14 Company Commander in Mymensingh, Md Samsuzzaman, told The Daily Star that investigators found no evidence suggesting the deceased had posted or written anything on Facebook that could have hurt religious sentiments.

(With inputs for ANI)