Entertainment Desk

People from various professions and walks of life have joined the ongoing student protests, expressing solidarity with the movement. Among them, several popular bands and musicians have announced their disassociation from the renowned Joy Bangla Concert.

Several artists took to social media to declare their support. Bangla Five’s vocalist Sina Hasan was the first to voice his stance. On 17 July, he announced on his verified Facebook profile, “As an artist, I boycott the Joy Bangla Concert. May I never be invited as an artist or audience to this concert, and if the other members of my band don’t agree, I won’t hesitate to leave Bangla Five, even though I doubt my bandmates will.”

The arrest of rapper Hannan Hossain Shimul, known for his track “Awaaz Utha,” on 25 July further intensified the artists’ resolve to sever ties with the concert.

Raffan Imam, famed for “Popeye Bangladesh,” echoed this sentiment on Monday, declaring, “You will never see me perform at a Joy Bangla Concert, ever.”

Regular performers at the Joy Bangla Concert, including Arbovirus, Cryptic Fate, Nemesis, and Meghdol, also announced their withdrawal. Arbovirus stated on their official Facebook page, “Arbovirus will never perform at the Joy Bangla concert.” Cryptic Fate followed with a post saying, “Many have been asking us if we will take part in future Joy Bangla concerts... The answer is 'no’.”

Nemesis clarified their position, citing recent events as the impetus for their decision. They posted, “Considering the recent events and circumstances over the past two weeks, it became obvious that we will never perform at the Joy Bangla Concert again.” Their statement emphasised support for the ongoing movement.

Meghdol, another popular band, announced their stance on Thursday. “Out of respect for the emotion of our youth, Meghdol has decided not to participate in the Joy Bangla Concert. We will watch with hope for political stability in the nation; there is nothing else we can do at this moment. With this message, we are reaffirming our support for mass demand. For every murder, we want justice.”