The final day of Faridpur Zilla School’s 185th-anniversary celebrations was marred by violence and disorder on Friday night, as the highly anticipated concert by rock legend James was aborted. The event, which was supposed to be a jubilant reunion for the institution’s alumni, was cut short after a massive mob of external spectators launched a relentless stone-throwing attack on the venue, injuring dozens.
The school’s historic premises became the site of a security crisis shortly after 9:30 pm. While the organising committee had intended the cultural programme to be an exclusive event for registered current and former students, the news of the “Nagar Baul” frontman’s performance acted as a magnet for the general public. Local authorities estimated that a staggering 20,000 to 25,000 people had descended upon the surrounding Mujib Road, overwhelming the local infrastructure.
Initially, the organisers attempted to manage the situation by installing two large digital projectors outside the school gates to allow the public to watch the performance. However, this gesture failed to satisfy the surging crowd. Frustrated by the restricted entry, hundreds of unauthorised individuals attempted to scale the school’s boundary walls. When security personnel and student volunteers tried to prevent the breach, the crowd outside turned hostile, raining brickbats and stones down upon the stage and the seated alumni.
The assault resulted in injuries to approximately 25 to 30 people, including the Organising Committee’s Convenor, Mostafizur Rahman Shamim. The chaos reached a boiling point when several intruders managed to vault over the walls, leading to physical altercations with the students inside. Given the severe risk to the safety of the artist and the thousands of guests, the security sub-committee was forced to intervene.
Incident Summary: Faridpur Zilla School Chaos
| Category | Details |
| Event | 185th Anniversary & Alumni Reunion |
| Primary Performer | James (Nagar Baul) |
| Estimated Outside Mob | 20,000 – 25,000 individuals |
| Injuries Sustained | 25 – 30 people (including organisers) |
| Primary Weaponry | Brickbats and stones thrown from outside |
| Event Status | Cancelled at 10:00 pm for public safety |
Just before 10:00 pm, Benazir Ahmed Tabriz, a member of the security sub-committee and a former student, took to the stage to announce the immediate cancellation of the concert. He confirmed that the decision was necessary to prevent a larger tragedy, noting that several of the injured had already been rushed to local hospitals for treatment.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam, the Officer-in-Charge of Faridpur Kotwali Police Station, explained that the situation became unmanageable because the venue’s capacity was no match for the star power of James. He stated that the “slight chaos” escalated quickly due to the sheer volume of people who felt entitled to enter the school grounds. By the time the police restored order, the celebratory atmosphere had been entirely extinguished, leaving the school’s landmark anniversary to end on a somber and fractured note.