It's not cricket (4 June 1999)

4 June 1999

It's not cricket

Nizamuddin Ahmed

LONDON, June 3: Yesterday's reception to the Bangladesh World Cup cricket team by the 'Bangladesh community' in London's East End ended in pandemonium.

Scheduled to start at 5.00 PM at a local school gymnasium, the celebration never took off as the Bangladesh team did not make it to the venue till 7.30 PM and the function was eventually called off. Police had to be called in to get it in order after few people in the audience termed it as 'politicising of cricket' and threatened the organisers. At least one unidentified person, reportedly a BNP activist, was severely injured.

UK Awami League executives countered the protest from the dais saying, 'We also reside in East London. Everyone has the right to organise a meeting. The UK Awami League organises its meeting with everyone. Do not threaten us.'

The programme was organised almost overnight to express the gratitude of the expatriates here in Britain to the cricket team for its wonderful performance, particularly the historic victory over the tournament favourites Pakistan.

Hundreds of Bangladeshis had been gathering at the venue long before the programme. The Bangladesh team has generated intense enthusiasm in England over the past couple of weeks.

Chief Guest Councillor Denise Jones, Mayor of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, left the premises a few minutes before disruption as she had another engagement. Prior to her departure she was able to make a brief speech on how Bangladesh's success would encourage the local youths, for whom she said more cricket pitches would be made available.

Also present were Bangladesh Cricket Board president Saber Hossain Chowdhury, the Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland A H Mahmud Ali, BCB officials and other dignitaries.

As the situation was about to get out of hand, the BCB president, also a minister in the government, made a fervent appeal over the PA system to uphold the spirit of the occasion. Saber's words seemed to pacify the handful of protesters, who then left the hall.

Outside, a young man, appeared to be intoxicated, was roughed up by some people because 'he was uttering foul language about the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Awami League'. He was severely injured and moved to a local hospital.

The top-most banner behind the meeting's dais read, "Mass reception to the victorious Bangladesh cricket team by overseas Bangalees". Below which there was a banner of the UK Awami League and another of the Cricket Forum UK.

The large crowd was getting restless due to the non-arrival of the cricketers. Repeated appeals from the dais called for calm amid slogans of 'Joy Bangla' and 'Pakistan Hai Hai'. There were also a few counter-slogans. The organisers were overwhelmed by the large response. To keep the restive public entertained, performers, who were to sing at the 'actual' reception after the players arrived, began to render songs at around 6.30 PM. The Mayor made her speech in between the songs.

After a delay of about two hours, the organisers decided to commence with the speeches, announcing that perhaps the players were caught in the traffic.

All went well when the High Commissioner made his humour-filled speech. The trouble started after the UK Awami League general secretary began his speech when one Farid Miah of the Jaitya Party rushed to the dais and shouted 'politics, politics' at the organisers. He was backed by about ten to fifteen persons, all of whom were led away from the front of the dais. But, abuse and counter-abuse continued, when Saber took over to bring the situation under control.

In his speech Saber said, 'We have come from Bangladesh to join in as you celebrate the success of the Bangladesh team. This is not a political programme. The present government believes in keeping sports above all politics. We have never mixed politics with sports.

"When the Bangladesh team became ICC champions (in 1997), BNP organised a reception. Khaleda Zia was the chief guest. As an Awami League MP, as a believer in the ideology of Bangabandhu, I was present at that reception. We wanted to prove that when there is an issue of national interest, when we talk of any national institution, we do not think of party politics.

"The world has come to know Bangladesh in a new dimension after the Northampton victory. But regretfully there is no pride in what we are seeing today. We want to go forward, forgetting the divisions of the past. We want to face the challenges of the 21st century. But, if there is no unity amongst us, if we make ourselves controversial even when celebrating, there cannot be anything more tragic that that.

"This is not a reception to the Bangladesh cricket team. We are being respectful to the entire Bengali nation."

Drawing the attention of BNP supporters in the audience, Saber said, 'You respect your party-founder Ziaur Rahman. As a freedom fighter, I too respect him. For the shake of his memory and of the martyrs, please maintain the sanctity of this programme."

He congratulated the people of East London for their support to the Bangladesh cricket team during the tournament.

"For the first time in any game, not only in cricket, Bangladesh has participated at the highest level. We have not only beaten Pakistan and Scotland, we have secured the eighth position. We are ahead even of Sri Lanka.

"We are now looking forward to take preparation for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. If necessary, we have to draw new plans," Saber said.

The crowd went wild in joy when Saber said, "We have beaten Pakistan at a neutral venue. Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis and Saqlain Mushtaq could not contain our batsmen. They hit the Pakistani bowlers for four, one after the other. Our fielders overtook South Africa in fielding.

'Since independence no institution has developed in Bangladesh as a symbol of national unity. We want to go forward with cricket'.

He apologised that the team could not arrive at the reception. Reminding himself and the crowd that the players in the past few weeks have gifted the nation with a unique present, he asked the gathering to forgive the players for their one mistake.

He assured the audience that in future tours, the Bangladesh team would make itself available for such receptions.

It was learnt later that 'miscommunication, change in flight schedule and alteration in the Buckingham Palace programme' yesterday was responsible for the absence of the players.

Source :: The Daily Star