Concerts postponed one after another over security clearance and venue shortages, as calls grow for permanent venues in Dhaka
Concerts are being postponed one after another for lack of security clearance. Others are cancelled even after permission is granted because organisers cannot handle the pressure of the crowd, venues are changed without permission, and spectators enter venues without tickets. All of this has raised fears about the future of open-air concerts in the country.
The 'Rock N Rhythm 5.0: No Limits in the Zone' concert was held at Jamuna Future Park on 23 October. Before James took the stage to sing, more than a hundred people broke through the security cordon and entered the venue without tickets. When the situation moved out of control, the organisers were forced to open the main gate. This angered spectators who had bought tickets for several thousand taka. Videos spread on social media also showed dissatisfaction with the concert's management.
The fallout from that concert has reached later events. Brandmyth Communications had organised an open-air concert called 'November Rain' for 14 November. The company's head of marketing, Rakibul Azam, said on Friday that they had completed the necessary administrative process, including a contract with the venue and a no-objection certificate from Dhaka Metropolitan Police. But after the chaos at the 23 October concert, the venue authorities decided not to allow any new open-air concerts, citing security. As alternatives, they contacted the authorities of the area in front of the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre and of Mirpur Indoor Stadium, but received no positive response.
The organisers said the event ultimately had to be postponed. In their view, the mismanagement of a different event has affected their three months of preparation and their investment.
Earlier this year, on 18 April, an open concert by the band Ashes at Rabindra Sarobar in Dhanmondi was cancelled. The organisers stepped back because there was not enough space or security to handle the expected number of spectators. Ashes vocalist Junayed Evan said at the time that there were doubts about whether the expected audience could be managed. Then, on 24 July, questions arose over a change of the permitted venue for Pakistani singer Atif Aslam's Dhaka concert. In September, 'MahX Republic' and Kabish's 'Wave Fest' were postponed after failing to obtain security clearance.
On concert security, Pritam Dey, managing director of Triple Time Communication, said the venue is a major issue: concerts are held at many places in Dhaka, but they are not truly venues suited to holding concerts. Arrangements including CCTV cameras are made so that there is no disorder at entry points, but private security staff have limitations in controlling crowds, and police cooperation is also needed. At a place like Army Stadium, he said, there is no such complication because the army's cooperation is available alongside its own security arrangements. He also demanded swift, exemplary action against those who create disorder at concerts.
Osman Gani, additional police commissioner (crime and operations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said, 'Before a concert we carry out a security assessment, and then we give the organising company permission. If there are problems in the security assessment, we do not give permission.' Organisers must meet conditions including their own security arrangements and CCTV, he said, and there are arrangements to monitor whether those are being followed. Noting the limits on police manpower, however, he said it is not possible to deploy hundreds of police officers at every concert, and organisers must ensure security through Ansar members and their own security staff.
Asked what action is taken when permission conditions are violated, Osman Gani said, 'If an allegation of violating conditions against a company is proven, it is warned, and that company is not given permission to organise the next time.'
DMP additional commissioner (traffic) Md Anisur Rahman raised the issue of controlling roads and traffic outside concerts. He said on Friday afternoon that if a concert is announced in advance, a traffic plan is made centred on the relevant area: organisers share their plan, a meeting is held at deputy commissioner level, and necessary measures are then taken. In his view, traffic police have to work hard for an hour before and after a concert. The crime division of the DMP looks after security, while the traffic division handles vehicle movement, and the two divisions work jointly.
Hamin Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Musical Bands Association (BAMBA), does not think simply adding more security staff is a sufficient solution. Audience attendance at concerts has grown enormously, he says, but there is no permanent venue matching that demand. 'Two concert venues, in Dhaka North and Dhaka South, are now the demand of the time,' Hamin Ahmed said. His proposal is for two permanent and suitable venues where concerts can be held regularly, with proper arrangements for audience entry, exit and crowd control.
Hamin Ahmed also believes the police administration must work in coordination with organisers to ensure security at big concerts, and that if police manpower is limited, the Ansar force can be brought in. He has also proposed making registration mandatory for concert-organising companies. In his view, 'There is no longer any room in Bangladesh for a few friends deciding on a whim to put on a show.' Organisers should be brought under registration after verification of their capability, experience and necessary manpower, he believes.
State Minister for Culture Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam said on Friday evening, 'The country's cultural arena has long been in a weak state for lack of patronage. There is also a shortage of suitable venues for holding concerts.' To solve the problem, he said, discussions are under way to build a large-scale cultural hub at the far end of Purbachal, with a plan to include a designated venue for concerts alongside cultural activities.
