Who Is James? Singer Whose Concert Was Cancelled After Mob Attack In Bangladesh | World News

The concert of famous Bangladeshi musician Faruq Mahfuz Anam (popularly known as James) was canceled on Friday night when a gang attacked the concert venue in the central Bangladesh town of Faridpur, injuring more than 25 people.

The incident occurred about 120 kilometers southwest of Dhaka, where James was scheduled to perform as part of a local school’s anniversary celebrations. According to local media reports, while the concert was about to start around 21:00, a group of people tried to force their way into the venue. The situation quickly escalated; Bricks, stones and chairs were thrown at concertgoers and organizers began canceling the event.

Watch here:

pic.twitter.com/NAD6SjAXmU
— VARTA ( वार्ता ) (@varta24news) December 27, 2025

The attack raised concerns about the safety of artists, performers and cultural sites in Bangladesh due to a recent increase in similar incidents.

Who is James?

Faruq Mahfuz Anam James is one of Bangladesh’s most influential rock musicians. Born in 1964 and raised in Chittagong, he is the son of a government official who served as Chairman of the Chittagong Board of Education. James is best known as the lead singer of the band Nagar Baul, formerly called Feelings.

Coming to prominence in the 1990s, James and Nagar Baul became part of what has been described as the “big three” of Bangla rock, alongside LRB and Ark. The band played an important role in shaping and popularizing hard rock and psychedelic rock in Bangladesh.

While Nagar Baul released his debut album Station Road in 1987, James followed this up with his first solo album Annonna in 1988. Over the years, he earned the nickname “Guru” from his fans, reflecting his lasting impact on the country’s music scene.

James also became known in India thanks to his work in Bollywood. He sang the hit song Bheegi Bheegi from the 2005 film Gangster and later sang Chal Chalein in the film Woh Lamhe (2006). Her playback singing credits include Rishtey and Alvida (Reprise) from Life in a… Metro and Bebasi from the 2013 film Warning 3D.

Beyond music, James has also appeared in television commercials, including a Pepsi commercial that aired in Bangladesh and West Bengal in the early 2000s, and a Bangladesh commercial for energy drink Black Horse in 2011.

Throughout his career, he collaborated with leading lyricists such as poet Shamsur Rahman, Lucky Akhand, Prince Mahmud, Marjuk Rasel, Shibli and Deholovi, further cementing his status as a leading figure in Bangladeshi popular music.