A weekend concert at Jalal Stadium descended into chaos on Saturday night, with attendees alleging sexual harassment of women and a spate of snatch-thefts amid a crowd surge. Police and event organisers have denied the claims, attributing injuries to a rush for the exits after a brief disruption on stage.
The show was part of celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Management Department at Brindaban Government College. A large crowd had gathered from evening, with singers Ashik, Bandhan and Ipa performing before popular band Lalon delivered four songs. Shortly afterwards, a sound cable reportedly snapped, pausing the programme.
Witnesses said tensions spiked when a young man hurled a bottle toward the stage; it struck another spectator, triggering panic. Chairs were smashed, bottles thrown and people jostled as sections of the audience tried to flee. In the crush, several women reported being groped and having necklaces and mobile phones snatched.
“We went for music and came back with fear,” said one student attendee. Another, who came with family, alleged her chain was torn off in the melee. Several students criticised the absence of women-only security measures, saying many were in tears as the crowd surged.
Doctors at Habiganj District Hospital said they treated at least 50 people for injuries linked to being pushed, tripped or struck during the stampede. None of the injuries were immediately reported as life-threatening.
The incident has sparked debate across Habiganj’s cultural circles and on social media, with many calling concerts “spaces for joy, not fear.” Commenters urged stricter safeguards at large events, including separate entry lanes for women, robust CCTV monitoring, and clearer evacuation plans. “No organiser should proceed without ensuring women’s safety,” wrote one Facebook user, calling the episode a failure of responsibility. Another urged a formal probe to identify offenders.
Event convenor Shah Rajib Ahmed rejected the harassment allegations, saying the disorder began after a bottle thrown from the crowd hit a spectator. “No women were harassed,” he said, alleging a rival faction was spreading “baseless propaganda” to discredit the programme.
Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station’s officer-in-charge, AKM Shahbuddin Shaheen, also denied the claims. He acknowledged injuries but said they occurred as people hurried out. “The area was ringed by police. We have investigated the social-media claims and found no evidence to support them,” he said, adding that organisers’ internal disputes had fuelled misinformation.
As calls grow for accountability and safer concert protocols, local cultural groups and residents say future large-scale events must pair crowd-pleasing lineups with rigorous planning: visible policing, gender-sensitive crowd control, working sound infrastructure—and a clear plan to keep panic from turning celebration into harm.