Bangladeshi rock singer Mahfuz Anam James has dismissed allegations surrounding the condition of a hotel room used by members of his band during their recent concert trip to Rome, saying the issue is not serious.

Speaking to reporters in Venice on Thursday, James said allegations made without evidence had no basis. He was responding to claims made following his August 16 concert in Rome, which has since sparked a dispute between the singer’s team and the event organisers.

James rejects hotel allegations

Asked about allegations that a hotel room had been left dirty, James said a young guest musician from the United States had stayed in one of the rooms and may not have kept it completely tidy.

“Many musicians leave their rooms messy. It is not something that should be made such a big issue,” James said.

He added that hotels have established cleaning procedures and that even if the hotel had imposed a €200 fine, such penalties were not unusual when guests smoke in rooms or violate hotel rules.

James also said his team had followed the normal checkout procedure and returned the hotel keys. He argued that if there had been a serious violation, the hotel could have taken action while the guests were still there.

Organiser raises several allegations

The controversy began after Rome-based event organiser Hossain Ahmed Moaz accused James and his team of breaching several contractual terms.

According to Moaz, James was contracted to perform for €30,000. He claimed the team had received €24,000, while the remaining €6,000 was supposed to be collected from ticket sales.

Moaz alleged that James was scheduled to take the stage at 9pm, but his manager went to the cash counter shortly before the show and demanded additional payment. He claimed the dispute delayed James’s performance until around 10pm, when tensions among the audience began to rise.

Moaz also alleged that the team left without settling the hotel’s outstanding charges and that a hotel room was left in poor condition. He said the hotel authorities sought a €200 penalty over the condition of the room.

Photos circulated on social media appeared to show plastic bottles, rubbish, used plates and food waste inside the room.

James’s manager rejects claims

James’s manager and spokesperson Rubaiyat Thakur Robin rejected the allegations, describing them as “baseless, fabricated and defamatory.”

Robin said the band had successfully completed the concert according to the agreement and that matters involving ticket sales, sponsorships and promotional expenses were the responsibility of the organisers.

He also disputed the hotel allegations, saying the band members checked out on August 19 after submitting their passports and identification documents as required. According to Robin, the hotel made no complaint at the time of checkout.

He further said the allegedly untidy room belonged to a guest musician from the United States and was not occupied by James or Robin themselves.

Payment dispute remains unresolved

Robin also alleged that the organisers had failed to pay the full €30,000 performance fee before James went on stage.

He said he had asked the organisers to settle the outstanding amount before the performance but faced pressure at the venue. With around 2,000–3,000 spectators already present, Robin said James eventually took the stage without receiving the full payment to avoid further disruption.

The organiser has presented a different account of the events, leaving the payment dispute unresolved.

James continues European tour

Despite the controversy, James is continuing his European tour. He is scheduled to perform in Venice on August 23, followed by concerts in several other Italian cities.

The band is also scheduled to perform in Sweden on September 5 and is expected to return to Bangladesh on September 22 after completing its European tour.