A much-anticipated concert featuring popular Pakistani singer Mustafa Zahid was called off at the last moment on Friday, sparking disappointment among fans and confusion among participating artists.
The concert titled 'Melody Unleashed', organised by Melody & Mind Communication, was scheduled to take place at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center in Purbachal on Friday evening. However, just an hour before show time, the organisers announced the concert's postponement via a Facebook post—citing “security concerns” as the reason.
Zahid, who recently arrived in Dhaka to perform at the event, shared his frustration and heartbreak in a statement on his official Facebook page late Friday night.
“It truly breaks my heart to share this… We’ve just been informed by the organisers that tonight’s show in Dhaka has been called off due to security concerns,” he wrote on Friday.
“To every single fan who bought a ticket please know this: we landed in Dhaka last night, rehearsed with some talented local musicians till the early hours of the morning, and prepared everything in our power to give you an unforgettable experience.”
“Despite repeated miscommitments by the organisers, we still showed up because we didn’t want to let YOU down... We were ready. And we’ll be back properly, and soon.”
The event was also supposed to feature local performers including singer AK Rahul, and bands Level Five and Encore. However, confusion reigned as even the participating artists reported being unable to contact the organisers.
To make matters worse, officials at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center confirmed to several media that there was no confirmed booking under the name Melody & Mind Communication for Friday’s event; although they admitted the organisers had made initial contact, they never completed the payment process.
Frustrated fans who showed up at the venue were met with locked gates and no signs of a concert - no posters, no lighting, and no sound setup. Many tried calling the organiser's contact number, only to find it switched off.
Level Five also shared frustration in a Facebook post, stating: "We regret to inform our fans that the 'Melody Unleashed' show, featuring AK Rahul, Encore, and Mustafa Zahid, was marred by severe mismanagement and unprofessionalism from the organizers, Melody & Mind Communication. Despite our commitment, they failed to pay artists and vendors on time, lacked proper communication, and ultimately scammed the audience."
"We apologize to fans who were affected by this pathetic excuse of an organizer. We remain dedicated to providing quality experiences. Thank you for your continued support," the band wrote.
Tickets for the concert were sold in three categories: General (Tk 1,999), Melody Zone (Tk 3,499), and Premium (Tk 10,000).
This is not the first time Melody & Mind Communication has been accused of cancelling concerts. In February, their 'Rock the Capital' event was also postponed citing security reasons. Ticketholders from that event have reportedly not received any refunds to date.
Friday’s cancellation has drawn sharp criticism from Dhaka’s music community, with several artists calling the incident not only “embarrassing” but also “shameful”.
Mustafa Zahid is widely known for Bollywood hits such as “Toh Phir Aao” and “Tera Mera Rishta Purana” from 'Awarapan' (2007), “Jo Tere Sang” from 'Blood Money', “Hum Jee Lenge” from 'Murder 3', and “Yeh Junoon Mera” from 'Shootout at Wadala', to name a few - and also made a strong Bangladeshi fanbase through these songs. He is also the lead vocalist of Roxen, a Pakistani rock band formed in 2004.
Despite the setback, Zahid assured fans in Bangladesh of a return, vowing to come back “properly, and soon.”