Chattogram-based Sanatani musical band Team Brishti is preparing to make its international debut with a series of performances in India during the Durga Puja celebrations. The seven-member Bangladeshi group is scheduled to depart for Assam on 21 October following an invitation from the Madhabpur Nabodurga Puja Committee.
The band’s first performance will take place in Madhabpur village in Hailakandi district, Assam. Several stage appearances are planned during the visit, with the musicians expected to return to Bangladesh on 28 October.
Known for combining devotional music, traditional Bengali melodies and contemporary musical arrangements, Team Brishti has gradually attracted audiences through its distinctive performances. Its forthcoming Indian tour represents an important milestone for the group, which began its musical journey during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the concerts, the band plans to present modern devotional songs alongside contemporary folk-fusion performances. The musicians hope their arrangements, blending traditional musical influences with modern instrumentation, will appeal to audiences across the border.
Team Brishti manager Amit Saha expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to perform internationally for the first time.
“We are delighted and proud to have the opportunity to perform on an Indian stage for the first time. This is a special achievement for us,” he said.
“We want our music and culture to reach Bengali-speaking people around the world. We will take to the stage with the love and blessings of people from both Bengals.”
Saha also spoke about the band’s ambitions to expand its presence beyond Bangladesh and participate in larger international musical events.
“We dream of representing Bangladesh on bigger stages at home and abroad in the future. We believe that with the audience’s love and support, we can fulfil that dream,” he added.
The group comprises seven musicians, each contributing a different element to its musical arrangements. Brishti Dey serves as the lead vocalist, while Akash Dey plays the ukulele. Badsha performs on the traditional Bengali drum, Amit Saha handles the octapad, Suman Das plays the keyboard, Chhoton Ghosh contributes flute melodies, and Tanmoy Dutta plays bass guitar.
The combination of these instruments allows the group to incorporate both traditional and contemporary musical textures into its performances. Its repertoire reflects an interest in preserving familiar Bengali musical expressions while presenting them through modern arrangements.
The band’s origins can be traced to the period of COVID-19 restrictions, when social gatherings and cultural activities were severely disrupted.
For Brishti Dey, who comes from Patiya in Chattogram, music became a source of connection and creativity during that difficult period.
“I am from Patiya in Chattogram. Our musical journey began during the coronavirus pandemic, when everyone was confined to their homes,” she recalled.
“At that time, I started spending time with a group of young men of my age, and music became the main subject of our gatherings. Those informal musical sessions eventually led us to perform at different events.”
What began as casual gatherings gradually developed into a more organised musical initiative. As the group continued performing at local programmes, its name became increasingly familiar to audiences in the surrounding areas.
“People gradually began recognising our band. Since then, we have continued moving forward without looking back,” Brishti said.
The musicians subsequently decided to broaden their activities beyond live performances by establishing an educational initiative.
“We collectively established a music school called Team Brishti School of Music to expand musical learning and practice. Through this initiative, we have continued our musical journey,” she explained.
The establishment of the school reflects the group’s commitment to regular musical practice and its interest in encouraging wider participation in music.
Alongside stage performances and educational activities, Team Brishti has also released several songs through digital platforms.
According to Brishti, the band’s recordings have appeared on the Urboshi Ganer Shiri and Team Brishti YouTube channels.
Among its released songs are Mukhe Beshi Kotha Koiyo Na, Koto Apon, Nijere Bashio Bhalo and Megh Pahare.
These releases form part of the group’s efforts to reach listeners beyond its live audiences and develop a broader presence in Bengali music.
The upcoming Assam performances also carry cultural significance. Bengali-language music has a longstanding presence on both sides of the Bangladesh–India border, with devotional songs and folk traditions forming an important part of regional cultural expression.
Durga Puja celebrations frequently provide opportunities for musical performances and community gatherings, making the festival a suitable occasion for artists working with devotional and traditional musical styles.
For Team Brishti, the invitation from the Madhabpur Nabodurga Puja Committee offers an opportunity to introduce its musical identity to audiences outside Bangladesh while participating in a festival rooted in shared cultural traditions.
The visit marks a notable development for a group that emerged from informal musical gatherings during the pandemic and subsequently expanded into live performances, recorded releases and music education.
As the musicians prepare for their first concerts in India, they are looking towards a future in which their music can reach wider Bengali-speaking audiences and provide further opportunities to represent Bangladesh internationally.
With several performances scheduled before their planned return on 28 October, the Assam tour is set to become a new chapter in Team Brishti’s musical journey.
