Who dares to say cricket is not the No. 1 game in Bangladesh? At least now? No-one. Wait a minute, who dares to ask the question?
The electrifying gush of love for the game, the excitement and the colour in the air connect the souls scattered over about 57,000 square miles. The whole nation has risen to the occasion, the biggest cricket show. The dream has now come true.
What a wait! As if people were holding their breath and are now going to exhale with the raising of the curtain of the gala.
And which is hosting the opening? No less than Bangbandhu National Stadium, a name the Bangladeshis would utter with utmost passion because this was once the soul of Bangladesh’s sport in general, especially of cricket.
“It gave not only Bangladesh, but also Pakistan, their Test debuts, in 1955 and in 2000. It staged successfully the Champions Trophy in 1998-99,” Sidharth Monga writes on ESPNcricinfo.
Situated in the heart of Dhaka, the capital, the BNS has seen long debates on whether it should solely host football or share the time with cricket before finally been reserved for football and athletics. Cricket, what is becoming a passion ingrained in the people of the delta, found Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur as its home.
Little more than a decade after its admission to cricket's top table, Bangladesh is jointly hosting the sport's biggest event with neighbours India and Sri Lanka. The achievement, according to many of the country, is something to become proud of. Yes, the occasion is finally at the doors!
Go out to the streets in any city or even villages, you can simply feel it. Needless to mention about the capital or Chittagong, the port city which is hosting two matches, the whole country has, as if, painted itself in the colour of cricket. The outward décor, the illumination at the stadiums and on the streets fails to accommodate the lion part of people’s feelings you bet.
“This means the world to the people, to put it simply,” Saber Hossain Chowdhury, the ruling party lawmaker who was at the helm of the Bangladesh Cricket Board when Tigers won the ICC Trophy in 1997, told ESPNcricinfo.
“This is the best dream, this event is what every citizen of this country has been waiting for. Cricket brings the country together,” he feels.
The magnificent show will start at 5:50pm at the new-look BNS after a 55-minute pre-show that will begin at 4:55pm. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to declare the meet open.
The opening programme has been divided into five parts. In the first part, a beautifully decorated rickshaw named "Lead" will carry 14 captains and it will be followed by members of their 14 teams joining the march past.
The gala programme kicks off with singer Abrar Tipu entering the stadium on a superbly decorated car and singing a 'welcome song'.
The welcome song begins with "O Prithibi, Ebar ashey Banglake now chiney.. O prithibi, Ebar ashey Banglake now chiney (Hey the world, now is the time to know about Bangladesh).
The inaugural will present the history of Bangladesh starting from 1952 Language Movement to 1971 Liberation War through various forms of dances, songs, choreography and dazzling laser show.
The grand gala show begins with "Hey the world, now is the time to know about Bangladesh" --- the mesmerizing 'welcome song' which is expected to set the stand on fire.
World renowned Canadian rock star Bryan Adams, India's Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahdevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy and Bangladesh's Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Mumtaz are expected to enthrall the crowd with their mesmerizing voices.
The welcome song is the inaugural item of the grand gala opening ceremony of the first ever World Cup Cricket in Bangladesh, which kicks off on February 19, and it will depict the history of Bangladesh at Bangabandhu National Stadium in the capital.
This will be followed by the official 'theme song' - 'De Ghumma Ke" to be sung in four languages.
The welcome song begins with "O Prithibi. Ebar ashey Banglake now chiney.. O prithibi,. Ebar ashey Banglake now chiney. (Hey the world. now is the time to know about Bangladesh.).
The 5.40-minute-long 'welcome song' written by Zulfiqar Russell will be directed by famous music director and singer Ebrar Tipu and his group. The English version will be sung by Mila and Elita.
The song is superbly composed asking the world that this is the time to know Bangladesh, its culture and heritage. Then the song depicts the 23-year arduous movement led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman starting from 1952 Language Movement to War of Liberation in 1971.
In the concluding part, the song will urge the visitors to come and witness the beauty of Bangladesh and its charming mangrove forest and world famous sprawling coastline and people's mad desire to win.
Bollywood's famous team of music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy has composed the official theme song of World Cup 2011.
They have composed the three versions of the song titled 'De Ghumaa Ke' in Bengali, Hindi and Sinhalese. The tournament, which will start on February 19, will be held in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The theme song 'De Ghumaa Ke' is a very passionate number aimed to create the fierce sense of competition and the strong desire to win. The term literally means 'Hit It Hard' and it is one word used by all the cricket fanatics for their favorite player and team.
India's celebrated event 'Symphony of Colours' and Sri Lanka's celebrated event 'The Pearl of Indian Ocean' will be performed for 20 minutes.
Then a dance programme directed by Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibly Mohamnmad will be performed for 20 minutes.
A cultural programme depicting the glorious Language Movement, War of Liberation, Bangabandhu's historic March 7 speech, Bangla New Year, cultural dance of Chakma, Rakhine, Marma, Shautal and Garo tribes will be presented by 2,100 school and college students and 350 members of the Armed Forces. This programme is choreographed by famous Indian Santosh Sethji.
Rock star Bryan Adam, 51, who was born in Kingston, Ontario, Canada will be rendering two songs to ignite the grand gala evening show.
Bryan has won almost all the international awards. He is also the holder of Order of Canada and Order of British Colombia and his standing as a hit artist is at 38th number as one of the most popular rock stars in the 150 years of rock music.
India's one of the most popular singers Sonu Nigam is expected to sing songs on the participating countries in this World Cup. During Sonu's song, the specially designed rickshaw named `Lead' will enter the stadium with 14 ICC captains riding on it.
Then a 60-foot dais will roll into the stadium with Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Mumtaz singing a song. They will sing for 9 minutes in medley style.
Finally, in a well-decorated car, Shankar Mahdevan will enter the stadium and sing the theme song composed by Bollywood's famous team of music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy.
The opening function will be rounded off with an eye- catching firework brought in from China.
Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar will air live the inaugural function of the ICC Cricket World Cup from Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Besides, BTV and Bangladesh Betar will broadcast a number of matches of World Cup Cricket.
Source: Daily Star
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