Popular bands decide to boycott Joy Bangla Concert

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, reports UNB.

Several artists took to social media to declare their support. Bangla Five's vocalist Sina Hasan was the first to voice his stance. On July 17, 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 July 25 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'."