Politicians play their game with cricketers (3 June 1999)

3 June 1999

Politicians play their game with cricketers

Nazmul Ashraf

Political leaders have again faltered in their response to a national achievement as they bickered yesterday over honouring the cricket heroes who come home tomorrow morning.

While the entire nation was singing the same tune celebrating Bangladesh's triumph over Pakistan, politicians refused to share a common platform to greet the national cricketers.

The government has planned a public reception for the cricketers at the National Parade Square at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar tomorrow at 10am while the main opposition BNP has decided to greet them at Zia International Airport.

BNP also plans to arrange a public reception for the team when they will return after the June 20 World Cup final, party sources said. The players are coming to Dhaka to attend tomorrow's reception and due to go back to England on June 8.

Dhaka Mayor Mohammad Hanif called an all-party meeting at 7:00pm yesterday at his Nagar Bhaban office to discuss the reception preparations, but none from the major opposition parties including BNP, Ershad's Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami turned up.

The representatives of Mizan Chowdhury-led Jatiya Party and other smaller parties including CPB, JSD came to the meeting that decided to shift the venue - from Paltan Maidan to Parade Sqaure. The meeting began at 7:30pm and continued till 9:00pm.

On Tuesday, state minister for sports Obaidul Quader had announced that the reception would be held at Paltan Maidan.

The mayor claimed he had spoken to leaders of the major parties to issue the invitation. BNP's Sadeq Hossain Khoka told the mayor that he would let him know later if someone would attend the Nagar Bhaban meeting, Hanif said. "But he didn't call back."

BNP sources said Khoka was advised by party chief Khaleda Zia not to attend. Khoka could not be reached for confirmation.

Similarly, the mayor phoned Manirul Huq Chowdhury of Ershad-led JP who also agreed to join the meeting. But he did not turn up, the mayor said.

Speaking to The Daily Star after the meeting, Hanif said he had invited all the parties to the reception while talking to them on phone and that Awami League leader Abdul Jalil had sent an invitation to the BNP.

Meanwhile, Obaidul Quader told The Daily Star last night that they were not going to distribute invitation cards for tomorrow's reception "because of time constraints".

"But the mayor will personally contact the opposition leaders and others to invite them to the programme," the minister said.

Only the PM, the sports minister, BCB president and the captain of Bangladesh cricket team and "others concerned" would speak on the occasion, Quader said.

Representatives of the political parties, if present, would have seats on the dais, but would not be allowed to speak, he added.

Those who attended the mayor's meeting included Quader, CHT minister Kalparanjan Chakma, state minister for primary and mass education Zinnatunnessa Talukder, AL leaders Abdul Mannan and Abdul Jalil, JSD's Nur Alam Ziku, Dhaka University VC Prof AK Azad Choudhury and commissioners of different DCC wards were also present.

According to a press release from the mayor's office, the prime minister will attend as chief guest tomorrow's reception, chaired by the mayor. The PM is expected to distribute gifts among the cricketers she had promised earlier.

The two major parties behaved in a similar manner two years ago when Bangladesh won the ICC Trophy.

BNP boycotted a civic reception for the ICC Trophy winners, organised by an AL-led national committee at the Manik Mia Avenue on April 14, 1997. The PM attended it.

A few days later, BNP organised a separate reception at the Minto Road official residence of Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia, which she attended.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)