Litigation filed to stop unlawful event promotions after Atif Aslam controversy
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the High Court seeking to curb the practice of promoting commercial events without mandatory legal clearance, following the controversy surrounding the cancelled Atif Aslam concert in Dhaka.
The petition was filed on December 14, 2025, by Supreme Court advocate Biplab Kumar Poddar, head of Integrity Law Chambers, under Writ Petition No 21794 of 2025. The matter is listed for hearing at Court No Annex 34 before Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi and Justice Raziuddin Ahmed.
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The PIL takes direct aim at what the petitioner describes as a growing culture of false and misleading event advertising in the digital space. It centres on the promotion of "X Force Presents Atif Aslam at the Mainstage Show", which was marketed as a confirmed concert scheduled for December 13, 2025, despite the organisers allegedly lacking basic government permissions, venue approvals, and confirmed consent from the artist.
Unlike earlier legal actions linked to the concert, the PIL does not seek refunds or personal compensation. Instead, it calls for structural legal intervention to prevent organisers from launching commercial campaigns without lawful clearance, arguing that such practices undermine public trust and the rule of law.
"It is time that the law should take precaution of the negative measures, if any, in the digital age," Poddar told reporters. "This filing is about prevention—stopping rogue organisers from exploiting public trust through unauthorised advertisements."
Main Stage Inc, named in the petition, allegedly advertised multiple venues—first the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre and later ToogiClub—without securing legal bookings. Thousands of tickets were reportedly sold, primarily to students and young professionals, with prices reaching Tk 9,999. The situation escalated when Atif Aslam issued a verified public statement denying confirmation of the show, citing the organiser's failure to meet legal and logistical requirements.
The petition draws parallels with the Evaly fraud scandal, highlighting how misleading digital promotions can enable large-scale consumer deception. It also refers to a previous High Court ruling criticising regulatory inaction against misleading commercial advertisements.
The PIL seeks court directives for national guidelines governing foreign-artiste concerts, including mandatory prior approvals, confirmed venues, transparent advertising, and restrictions on ticket sales until all regulatory conditions are fulfilled. It further asks the court to direct authorities, particularly the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, to investigate the incident and submit periodic reports to prevent similar occurrences.
Integrity Law Chambers, based at 38 Topkhana Road, Dhaka, prepared the petition through a legal team comprising Falikul Ishba, Mohammad Sanjar, and Muzahidul Islam Pial, reinforcing its role in regulatory and public-interest litigation in Bangladesh's digital consumer landscape.
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