'Alvida' Singer James' Concert Cancelled In Bangladesh After Mob Attacks Venue

Bangladeshi rock singer James' concert was cancelled on Friday night in Faridpur, approximately 120 kilometers from the capital, Dhaka. The disruption comes amid a troubling rise of targeted attacks on artists, performers, and cultural institutions across the country.

The event was organised to celebrate a local school’s anniversary and was scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. local time. However, the atmosphere turned violent when a mob attempted to storm the venue. Attackers reportedly pelted the crowd with bricks and stones, creating a scene of panic among attendees, according to NDTV.

Author Taslima Nasreen spoke about recent attacks on Bangladesh's cultural institutions, including James' concert cancellation.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Nasreen wrote, "The cultural center Chhayanaut has been burned to ashes. Udichi—the organisation 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 [sic]."

She also recalled an incident a few days ago, when Siraj Ali Khan had come to perform but had to return without performing.

"A few days ago, Siraj Ali Khan came to Dhaka. He is the grandson of Ali Akbar Khan, the son of the world-famous maestro Ustad Allauddin Khan. Siraj Ali Khan himself is a distinguished artist of the Maihar gharana. He returned to India without performing any program in Dhaka, saying that he would not come to Bangladesh again until artists, music, and cultural institutions are safe," added Nasreen.

The exiled author added another instance and wrote, "Two days ago, Ustad Rashid Khan’s son Arman Khan also declined Dhaka’s invitation. He too made it clear that he does not wish to set foot in a Bangladesh inhabited by music-hating jihadists [sic]."