A colourful opening ceremony of the ICC Cricket World Cup'2011 awaits cricket fans on Thursday (February 17) at the country's premier sports venue - Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) - in capital Dhaka.
The 135-minute opening ceremony of the mega sports event will start at 6 pm (BST) soon after Magrib prayer. Star singer Brian Adams and India's celebrated singer Sonu Nigam will be the main attraction of the ceremony.
However, the pre-show segment of the ceremony will start at about 4:30 pm, where eight leading local singers - four men and four women - will perform during the 50-minute presentation before the main event. Country's famed leading singer Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Momtaz Begum will render songs at the event.
The theme song of the ceremony - Dey Ghumake - will be presented in Bangla, Hindi and Sri Lankan language by Shankar-Ehsan-Loy.
Country's sports loving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will officially declare the 14-team 42-day mega event open at a colourful ceremony in the evening after a welcome song - Welcome the world.
Apart from the Prime Minister, Finance Minister AMA Muhith and State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarkar will also speak at the opening ceremony in addition to ICC President and BCB President. Soon thereafter, captains of all the 14 participating teams will enter the stadium on board well-decorated and specially made local traditional vehicle - rickshaw.
In presence of the captains, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the show by pressing the switch-on button when portrait of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be displayed on the giant screen set up on the wall of the Shipla Bank adjoining the eastern gallery of the stadium amid fireworks display.
The opening ceremony will feature a wide variety of innovative offerings ranging from laser and holographic shows, LED kites and massive coordinated fireworks. The whole program has been divided into five segments.
Famous artistes, both legendary and contemporary from the region and beyond will also be present during the event which is being organized by Indian event management firm Wizcraft who are working with Asiatic as their local partner. Each country is assigned a specific time-slot to showcase their culture, heritage and heroes. Bangladesh's skit will be of 20 minutes while India and Sri Lanka will perform for 12 minutes each.
The Bangladeshi segment will touch on all aspects of the country's culture, heritage and history including the Language Movement of 1952, the Liberation War in 1971 and the historic 7th March speech of Bangabandhu.
Some 2500 students from metropolitan schools and colleges and 3500 members of Bangladesh Armed Forces will perform at the opening ceremony under the guidance of famous Indian choreographer Santosh Shetji.
The ceremony will be concluded with massive fireworks. A good number of leading Bangladeshi personalities are involved in the planning and execution of the event. A number of new generation Bangladeshi musicians will perform in the ceremony.
Bangladesh for the first time is going to make a place in the cricket history along with India and Sri Lanka by hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup including hosting the inaugural ceremony. Bangladesh Cricket Board with the financial support of ICC will spend US$ 3 million to host the opening ceremony. The ICC will provide US$ 1 million to the players, coaches, officials, match referees, physios, umpires and officials of the teams which will play eight matches in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Bangabandhu National Stadium and the surrounding areas have been decorated colourfully for the events where a 25-feet sculpture "Flying Bird" has been set up on a 340 square feet area at the main entrance (between gate number 1 & 2) of the BNS. A mural of Bangabandhu decorates the other side.
Source: UNB, Dhaka
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