Strike disruptions to continue in Dhaka (20 October 1998)

20 October 1998

Strike disruptions to continue in Dhaka

by Zahid Newaz in Dhaka

Bangladesh government has requested the opposition to call off the October 22 countrywide half-day general strike in view of the Wills International Cup Cricket beginning in Dhaka on October 24 (Saturday).

In response, the opposition leaders have said the request would be discussed in their forums and the decision would be conveyed in due course.

"I have talked by telephone with opposition BNP and Jamaat and requested them to call off the strike in view of the prestigious cricket tournament," Telecommunication Minister Mohammed Nasim told a group of reporters in his chamber Monday afternoon.

Nasim, who usually acts as the government negotiator with the opposition, further said: "They (opposition) have agreed to discuss the proposal."

The stoppage was called by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led seven-party alliance to protest what it called killing and atrocities of the ruling party during Sunday's hartal (shut down) protesting government refusal to stage a hunger strike at a ground adjacent to venue of the tournament on October 18.

In another development, State Minister for Sports Obaidul Quader also urged the oppositions to call off their Thursday's strike to make the prestigious Wills International Cup Cricket a grand success.

"Bangladesh has got a rare honour to host such a highly rated nine-nation world ranking cricket meet following a positive response and assurance by ICC, government and the opposition parties," the minister told a press conference Monday evening.

He said : I am very much optimistic that the opposition will withdraw the hartal scheduled for one day ahead of the gala event and work together for peaceful completion of the knock out basis World Cup Cricket to uphold the country's image abroad.

Earlier in the day, the Sports Minister said, he had a cordial discussion with former State Minister for Sports and influential BNP leader Sadek Hossain Khoka on the matter.

Event manager of the Wills International Cup and former Pakistani test cricketer Asif Iqbal and BCB General Secretray Syed Ashraful were also present at the press conference.

Replying to a question, Asif Iqbal said, "I am a guest of BCB, so I have no comment about the political issue like hartal (strike)."

Meanwhile, the much awaited sale of ticket for the Wills International Cup starts Tuesday from the Dhaka city branches of IFIC Bank and its lone branch in river-port town, Narayanganj.

Cricket lovers across the country have been waiting for the tickets to watch the players of the nine test playing nations in action from October 24.

In the last few days, Wills Cup Cricket has become the talk of the town with the most ardent cricket fans planning to buy the tickets at the earliest opportunity.

One person will be allowed only three tickets for any particular match while anybody buying all the tickets for eight matches together can have five such sets.

Source :: CricInfo365