Attack mars Qawwali musical event at Dhaka University

A group of people have attacked and disrupted a Qawwali musical event at Dhaka University’s Teacher-Student Centre.

The organisers of the event have blamed the followers of Saddam Hussain, a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, for the assault, an allegation he denied.

At least eight people, including Jalal Ahmed, a reporter for the daily Amar Sangbad, and Tasfia Tasnim Rafa, a student of economics at Dhaka University, Sadia Islam Muna, a philosophy student, were reportedly injured in the attacks.

‘Silsila’, a Qawwali band of Dhaka University students, and some other students organised the programme at the TSC on Wednesday evening. Nadim Ehtesham Reza Khan and his team, folk singer Sheikh Fahim Faysal, and Lutfor Rahman and Khalid Hasan Abid of Silsila were expected to perform at the programme.

Witnesses said a group of at least 50 BCL activists wielding sticks carried out the attack around 6:30 pm and vandalised the stage and chairs. Nazir Ahmed, deputy office secretary of BCL, and the organisation’s activists Amir Hamja, Sabbir Hossain Shovon, Farid Zaman and Tanjir Arafat Tushar were seen among the attackers. 

Most of them are the followers of Saddam, a former general secretary of BCL and assistant general secretary of the last committee of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union.

Al Amin Rakib Tonoy, a student of TV, film and photography department and one of the organisers, said they came under attack while setting up the microphone.

The attackers punched the organisers and used chairs to beat them up before chasing them out.

Mir Hujaifa Al Mamduh, another organiser and student of journalism, said some BCL activists came in the morning and told them that Saddam asked to stop the programme.

As the organisers reached Saddam by phone, he asked them to talk to Proctor AKM Golam Rabbani.

“We came to know in the evening that Chhatra League would attack us and they were gathering at Madhu’s Canteen. So we took the singers away. Chhatra League then launched the attack suddenly,” said Hujaifa.

Jahid Ahsan, a student of history, said the injured took first-aid at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Saddam denied the allegations raised by the organisers. “The question of Chhatra League carrying out an attack does not arise. We’ve come to know that their programme has been foiled due to an internal dispute. Chhatra League has been blamed intentionally.”

Proctor Rabbani said the proctorial team and an assistant proctor visited the TSC immediately after the incident. “I also went there to know what happened. We will look into the matter.”

Some students, including members of Chhatra Union, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front and other organisations, marched on the campus in protest against the attack.

Some others sang Qawwali outside the proctor’s office as part of protests.