Qawmi students demand cancellation of Brahmanbaria college orientation concert

The Qawmi Chhatra Oikya Parishad has demanded the cancellation of a concert planned as part of a freshers' orientation programme at Brahmanbaria Government College.

Yesterday (11 September) the organisation submitted separate memorandums to Khaled Hossain Mahboob, MP for the Brahmanbaria-3 constituency, and district Council Administrator Serajul Islam, seeking cancellation of the event scheduled for 14 September.

In its memorandum, the Qawmi Chhatra Oikya Parishad said Brahmanbaria has a rich history of Islamic scholarship and religious values, which are closely linked to the district's social and cultural environment.

It said welcoming freshers could be joyful and festive, but authorities should ensure such programmes do not conflict with the educational environment, social discipline, public safety or the religious and social values of the area.

The memorandum also said untoward incidents and accidents had occurred at concerts and musical events in Brahmanbaria in the past, creating public concern over such programmes.

Fuzael Ahmed Khan, a member of the organisation, said, "We have highlighted our main concerns in the memorandum. The home minister himself said that music and singing are as good as banned in Brahmanbaria."

Citing an earlier incident, he said the clash had left around 30 students injured and questioned the decision to organise another concert within a month, describing it as "rubbing salt on an open wound".

He also alleged that a female student was subjected to eve-teasing during an orientation concert, and asked, "Do they (the college authorities) want female students to be subjected to eve-teasing there?"

Brahmanbaria Government College Principal Professor AKM Obaidul Haque said he was not officially aware of the memorandum as the students had not approached the college.

"If they inform us and advise us, we will take action as per the rules," he said, adding that the event was not a concert but a cultural programme. 

The college has three programmes planned: orientation, a cultural event and tree plantation.

Notably, a clash broke out between police and students of the adjacent Jamia Darul Arkam Al-Islamia Madrasah over loud music at a programme organised by the Brahmanbaria district police on 18 August.

The students entered the venue and allegedly vandalised it, prompting police to baton-charge them and injuring over 20 people.

Madrasah students said they requested the music to be turned down as it was disrupting their studies. However, an altercation with police over the issue eventually led to a clash.

Previously, on 30 May, the screening of a popular film at Annada Government High School in Brahmanbaria town was also stopped following objections from Qawmi students.