Bangladeshi singer James’ concert cancelled after mob attack in Faridpur

Guwahati: A concert by Bangladeshi musician James was cancelled in Faridpur, about 120 kilometres from Dhaka, following attacks on artists, performers, and cultural institutions in the country.

Local reports said the concert, scheduled for 9:00 pm on Friday to mark a local school’s anniversary, was disrupted when a group of attackers attempted to force entry and hurled bricks and stones at the audience.

While students tried to resist, authorities eventually instructed the organisers to cancel the event. Over 20 people were reportedly injured in the incident.

Author Taslima Nasreen highlighted the attack and criticised the growing threats to culture in Bangladesh. On social media platform X, she wrote, "The cultural center Chhayanaut has been burned to ashes. Udichi-the organization that was built to foster a secular and progressive consciousness through the promotion of music, theater, dance, recitation, and folk culture-has also been burned to ashes. Today, jihadists did not allow the renowned singer James to perform at an event."

Nasreen added that Siraj Ali Khan, grandson of Ali Akbar Khan and a distinguished Maihar gharana artist, recently returned to India without performing in Dhaka, stating he would not come back until artists and cultural institutions are safe.

She also noted that Ustad Rashid Khan’s son Arman Khan declined an invitation to Dhaka, refusing to enter a country where music is under threat.

James, a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer, leads the rock band Nagar Baul and has performed popular Hindi film songs such as Bheegi Bheegi from Gangster and Alvida from Life In A Metro. His cancelled concert underscores the increasing boldness of radical elements in Bangladesh.

In recent months, extremist groups have increasingly targeted cultural institutions such as Chhayanaut and Udichi, along with artists, journalists, and media organisations.

Critics of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government claim such incidents of violence and arson are being orchestrated to create instability, potentially delaying elections scheduled for February.