Bangladeshi artistes see surge in global concerts as local shows decline

As the local concert scene in Bangladesh slows down, Bangladeshi artistes are increasingly turning to international stages. With no concerts scheduled in March due to Ramadan, and a string of recent cancellations, the local music scene remains subdued.  

However, artistes are finding new opportunities abroad, where performances are rapidly increasing. After Eid, many will embark on tours across countries like Canada and the United States, bringing Bangladeshi music to international audiences.

On March 31, the "Live Mega Concert" will be held at the Asian Town Amphitheatre in Qatar, featuring artistes like Monir Khan, Ankhi Alamgir, Imran Mahmudul, Dilshad Nahar Kona, Belal Khan, Sathi Khan, Belly Afroz, Moon, and Arfin Rumey, among others. 

Sand City Services, the event organisers, have stated that no concert of this scale has ever taken place in Qatar before. Tickets are already available for purchase online.

In April, Shayan Chowdhury Arnob and Sunidhi Nayak will perform in the United States as part of a series of concerts celebrating the Bengali New Year. 

On April 19, they will perform at the "Bangla Folk Rock Fest" in Dallas, joined by Ershad Zaman, former member of the band Artcell. It is also reported that Arnob and Sunidhi are planning several more concerts across the US.

Bappa Mazumder and his band Dalchhut will embark on a Canada tour in April and May, performing on April 19 in Calgary, April 25 in Toronto, April 27 in Vancouver, and May 3 in Halifax. Elita Karim will also join Dalchhut for each concert.

After a year's break, rock icon Nagar Baul James will return to the US in June for a performance. On June 14, James will perform at the Plano Event Center in Dallas, and this show is expected to set a new record for a Bangladeshi artiste in the US. 

The organisers have said that no Bangladeshi singer has ever performed at such a large venue in Dallas before. Titled "Chapter Two: James Live in Dallas", the concert tickets are already on sale. James was last in the US for a concert tour in 2023, where he performed at over 20 events, despite being initially scheduled for only seven.

Pritom Hasan, another popular singer, is set to perform in 10 US cities between June and July. While the dates haven't been confirmed yet, Pritom has shared the locations, which include Dallas, Miami, Washington DC, New York, Boston, New Jersey, San Jose, Los Angeles, Houston, and Michigan.

Overall, this year appears to be a busy one for Bangladeshi artistes performing abroad. These international concerts are also expected to contribute significantly to the global promotion of Bangla music.