Dhaka, Dec. 10 -- Dhaka's music lovers are learning the hard way that no ticket guarantees a show.

After a string of successful concerts last season, the current climate in the capital has taken a starkly different turn. "Political caution" has halted performances across the city, leaving foreign artists stranded and organisers grappling with financial setbacks.

While a few private concerts continue -- opportunists arranging private concerts using the artists from postponed shows -- the broader public faces repeated frustration, eroding trust and dimming the capital's once-vibrant cultural scene.

The home ministry, citing "political circumstances", has withheld approval for several scheduled performances, prompting a cascade of cancell...