Faruq Mahfuz Anam, the legendary Bangladeshi rock musician who goes by the name James, has recently faced a quite unfortunate incident with the cancellation of the concert marking his 185th anniversary at the Faridpur Zila School, which was highly anticipated.
James who has been alternatively called the “Guru” of the Bengali rock scene has, with his songs, made a great contribution in showcasing and defining the music identity of a nation throughout his lifetime.
On a Friday night 26th December 2025, a noise in the form of a mob overpowered the peace of his music. The thousands of uninvited people, who were very upset after being turned away from the fully registered event, started off with throwing a large number of bricks and stones at the stage.
As a result of the chaos, over 25 people were injured, and the district administration was forced to intervene and cancel the show for security reasons.
Nagar Baul and the Evolution of Psychedelic Rock
James, the original lead singer of the band Nagar Baul (previously, Feelings), gave the South Asian music arena a raw and soulful energy that made him a god for the fans.
Since the late 1970s when he started his career, he has been the one to look for, mixing hard rock with the spiritual essence of folk music. His albums, including the cult classics Station Road and Jail Theke Bolchhi, show a continual engagement with social themes and emotional richness.
In addition to that, James not only registered his name but also went on to become a huge star in India with the film songs like “Bheegi Bheegi” and “Alvida” thus, his being a cultural ambassador with cross-border influence has already been established and confirmed thanks to the continous flow of his music that transcends even the political borders.
The Rising Cultural Volatility in Bangladesh
The cancellation of the concert by James is not a singular event but a clear sign of the rising cultural instability that has taken control of the area. The last few months have shown a very disturbing trend of musicians being attacked and cultural institutions getting destroyed, making it very hard for artists to operate.
The closing down of Chhayanaut and similar places, which were once the centers of music in the country, is just one example of how things have changed. Even the international artists have stopped coming to the country because of the fear of insecurity.
The last mob-led disruption is sure to make it even harder for the interim government to deal with the issue of safeguarding the nation’s cultural heritage against the radicalized factions who consider secular cultural gatherings as places for unrest.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
