Bittersweet bonding in Bangladesh

Chaotic crowd took centrestage in Jal's historic Dhaka performance

Screens lit up in waves at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka as Pakistani band Jal mounted the stage after 14 years. The mall was overtaken by passionate fans who lined up on every floor and sang nostalgic song Aadat in sync with member Goher Mumtaz.

The lyrics of the song are etched as deeply into every Pakistani music devotee's heart as is the absence of the band, which has ventured a rugged journey since its debut. However, past obstacles were brushed aside as Jal rocked the stage once more with an invigorating performance.

The event marked two decades since the release of Jal's iconic album Aadat and was received with enthusiasm of a degree parallel to the album's success. As per The Business Standard on Instagram, however, the Legends of the Decade concert received an overwhelming response, as hundreds of fans stormed in to the point that higher security measures were imposed.

Adjustments were made to the venue to cater to the logistics of the concert, as the management did not anticipate the throng of fans filling in every place possible, even elevators. In the video, fans can be seen shoving each other in the heat of the moment. Due to this unexpected reception, the Bangladesh army intervened and halted the event entirely.

Goher's heartfelt post

Despite the chaotic finish, Goher later took to Instagram to express his heartfelt gratitude and some clarification.

"Dear fans of Bangladesh," he began. "Thank you for this overwhelming response and for all your love. For your safety and to avoid the possibility of a big stampede, I had to leave the stage." He added that the crowd had grown to over 10,000 people, which wasn't logistically easy for the local security to handle, hence the army and the government had to take matters into their own hands."

"The immediate outdoor venue shift was also a challenge for the organisers due to excessive rains every day," he added. "I want to thank Bangladesh's government and army for taking care of the situation."

"I respect and adore you guys and know that some of you travelled from different cities to see the show," he acknowledged. "But for me, your lives are more important than anything. Until next time. Love you all."

Fans from the country flooded the comment section with apologies and hope for the future. "Seeing you was a dream come true after 12 years of waiting. We want you to come every year. If necessary, we will buy more tickets. We still want you to come. We can't express how much we love you. That's our failure," a user wrote.

"Firstly, thank you so much for coming to Bangladesh once again to sway us with your timeless classic melodies. Jal is and will always remain etched in our hearts. Secondly, please accept our apologies for all the troubles and inconveniences you and the team had to go through. We all love you and Jal, Goher. You have given all of us so many memories to cherish," another wholeheartedly shared.

South Asian harmony

This international admiration is surely not a shocking ordeal, especially to Goher himself. "Whenever I upload content on social media, no matter what my posts are about, under all of them there is always at least one comment that's asking me when I'm coming to Bangladesh," he revealed at a press conference, only a day before the concert.

He further shared his surprise at the language barrier not being a concern for his Bangladeshi fans, especially after witnessing them jamming to his lyrics with ease. "I felt that if they understand my language, I need to learn theirs," he said, after mentioning a small phrase that he was taught. "It's a wish of mine to understand the Bengali language. And maybe, with all these stars sitting next to me, I can get a chance to collaborate with the local talent and make something nice."

Goher then spoke at length about the emergence of digital platforms that hold singles in priority as opposed to albums, which were all the rage before the year 2013. "This is why we're working on a new album," he announced. "Because in South Asia, especially in India and Bangladesh, there is still that charm of listening to the whole album."

"Whereas in Pakistan, we're more focused on OSTs for drama serials, which I have had the privilege to work on," he observed. "Whenever I would be casted in a play, I'd get the opportunity to sing for it as well. I have worked on a film album too, but that was more collaborative and different from what I wish to do as part of Jal."

"So here, I'm announcing it now, Baarish is the name of the new album," he declared. "It will be coming in November. So I hope that the next time I come to Dhaka, it will be rain again, and we'll be singing songs from Baarish."