Clashes between police and madrasa students in Brahmanbaria leave 30 injured following concert disruption
Photo Collected
A violent clash between seminary students and police in Brahmanbaria resulted in at least 30 injuries on Tuesday night, forcing the abrupt cancellation of a cultural event organized by the district police. The confrontation, which occurred at the police lines drill shed in the West Medda area, prompted hours of civil unrest as students staged demonstrations across the city until the early hours of Wednesday.
Trouble began at approximately 11:30 p.m. when students from the nearby Darul Arqam Islamia Madrasa—an institution founded by Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Secretary General Sajidur Rahman—entered the police lines to protest the loud music emanating from the event. Witnesses reported that an initial verbal altercation between the students and police personnel rapidly escalated into a physical confrontation. Authorities stated that dozens of students entered the venue, damaging chairs and infrastructure, while police responded with baton charges. Students retaliated by throwing stones, leaving at least seven police officers among the 30 individuals injured.
Following the clashes, groups of students blocked several key locations, including the old District Road, Kumarsheel intersection, and the hospital road, demanding accountability for police actions and a permanent ban on public concerts. The standoff trapped performers and officials inside the police lines for several hours before peace talks were initiated.
District Council Administrator Sirajul Islam, who mediated the crisis, convened a meeting at the Darul Arqam Islamia Madrasa involving police officials and seminary leadership to defuse tensions. By 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, an agreement was reached. Sirajul Islam stated that the authorities have committed to identifying those responsible for the violence through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. He noted that the seminary students demanded an end to open-air concerts, while police maintained their right to conduct official duties without interference.
Sajidur Rahman, Secretary General of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, confirmed that police had acceded to the students’ demands. According to Rahman, the terms included providing advanced medical treatment for injured students and the suspension of three police officers alleged to have been involved in the provocation.
The cultural event had been organized to mark a police anti-drug rally. Chittagong Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Quddus Chowdhury, who attended the early stages of the event, stated he had departed before the violence erupted and declined to offer further comment. Calls placed to Brahmanbaria Superintendent of Police (SP) Shah Mohammad Abdur Rauf for comment on the allegations of officer misconduct remained unanswered.
Detective Branch Officer-in-Charge Abul Kalam Azad, who was present during the incident, stated that the disturbance began when roughly 30 to 40 students infiltrated the venue through a side gate, utilizing flag stands to cause destruction. He confirmed that police were forced to intervene to restore order, leading to the subsequent unrest that lasted throughout the night.
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