Paint job for Chittagong

Bangladesh are taking their job of co-hosting the 2011 World Cup very seriously. And it’s not just the stadiums that are getting a face-lift: in the port city of Chittagong, residents and shop owners along the main roads from the airport to the city centre have been asked to spruce up their homes and shops with a new coat of paint. Bangladesh take on England and Netherlands in Chittagong, which will also host a warm-up match. The city corporation ran an advertisement in the newspapers on Saturday to appeal to its residents. “We need your cooperation to present the beauty of the city to players, officials and other dignitaries, who will visit us during the World Cup.” Bangladesh have never hosted a World Cup before and excitement levels are running high in the country – leading to clashes on Sunday between fans and police in Dhaka in the rush to buy tickets for the tournament.