Clash, vandalism disrupt 'Ityadi' event in Thakurgaon

Clashes and incidents of chair vandalism occurred at the popular magazine program 'Ityadi' in Thakurgaon, forcing the organizers to halt the event.

The incident took place on Thursday evening (January 9) at Raja Tonkonath's palace in Ranisankail upazila, where the event was being hosted.

Several videos of the altercation and vandalism have already gone viral on social media.

Announcing the event's suspension, Ityadi director Hanif Sanket stated, "Despite our best efforts, we couldn't manage to calm the situation. We aimed to organize a wonderful program for you, but that became impossible."

According to eyewitnesses, the organizers had arranged around 2,000 entry passes across Thakurgaon district. However, nearly 100,000 people gathered at the venue. Unable to manage the excessive crowd, the main gate was eventually opened. According to reports, chaos erupted over seating arrangements, leading to vandalism and fights. Despite multiple attempts by the organizers to restore order, they failed and were forced to suspend the event midway. After about three hours, the shooting resumed with a smaller audience.

Ranisankail Police Station OC Arashedul Haque said, "A few mischievous boys threw chairs, but no one was injured. However, the authorities concluded the event earlier than scheduled."

Attendees held local authorities and organizers responsible for the severe mismanagement that led to the situation. Although entry passes were distributed for free by the administration, a group allegedly sold them for thousands of takas. As a result, many families who came to enjoy the event encountered significant difficulties.