A nation in euphoria (2 June 1999)

2 June 1999

A nation in euphoria

Toufique Imrose Khalidi

No, not just another glorious chapter framed in gold.

What happened at Northampton Monday may have been ranked among the greatest upsets in cricket World Cup's 24-year history, but for Bangladesh the victory meant something amply symbolised by the ecstatic celebrations across the country.

For a nation, notorious for its factionalism in all spheres of life, it gave something to cry in unison.

From the president to squatters, from politicians to poets, from students to professors, from clergy to laity, from millionaires to beggars, all joined the band of revelers to hail the heroes of the historic win against the 'indomitable' Pakistan cricketers.

In many years, nothing of the sort has happened in a country short of achievements and national heroes.

The last such national euphoria was generated by the lifting of the ICC Trophy, but the nature and stature of the opponent this time far exceeded the status of the achievement two years ago.

"Bangladesh enjoy their greatest day," rightly wrote The Independent of London in a screaming headline spreading eight columns Tuesday.

The Times of London invoked Rudyard Kipling to describe the greatest upset in cricket history on a pitch that had previously hosted soccer matches.

As the green-and-red flags fluttered in the English town Monday evening, turning it into a mini-Bangladesh, there were only tears of joy back in Bangladesh after the fairy tale encounter.

Tens of thousands, glued to TV sets all over the country, took to the streets to tell the story to themselves as soon as Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq failed to make to the crease. That was the 10th Pakistan wicket.

Thousands of Bangladesh fans invaded the pitch, racing across the outfield waving the bi-colours even when the third umpire was taking a look at the run-out appeal.

World record holders Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi, Inzamamul Huq or Izaz Ahmed all meant nothing special to a disciplined Bangladesh bowling that had at least three regulars on the sidelines.

As Khaled Mahmud, the hero with three for 31 and a quickfire 27, was handed the bottle of champagne, streets of Bangladesh were already celebrating the greatest win since being granted one-day status last year. This was Bangladesh's first over Pakistan in seven encounters.

The prime minister was one of the first to come up not only with warm words of congratulations, but also a fat load of money for the performers at Northampton. Her bitter foe in politics, the Leader of the Opposition did not also mince minutes to make her statements.

So did the corporate chiefs, announcing cash rewards following in the footsteps of the nation's chief executive.

But the jubilation went far beyond what the big sums of money could express.

Joining the nightlong mirth were the old and young, men and women, boys and girls, rich and poor. They waived the national flags, danced, sang, chanted slogans, exploded fire-crackers, beat dongs and blew whistles on the streets of Dhaka and elsewhere.

Some 20,000 gathered on the Dhaka University campus alone in a midnight reveling Monday.

On Mirpur Road, slogan-shouting people marched through the avenue splashing coloured water on passers-by.

In the Old City, in similar fashion, the night lost its usual calm.

At Gulshan -- the quiet, posh northern district of Dhaka -- cars honked horns as merry-makers sped away to destinations unknown.

At suburban Uttara, jubilant crowds broke the regular midnight silence, said an excited professor calling The Daily Star Monday night.

In the northern administrative district of Natore, the deputy commissioner made a midnight announcement for cash rewards to the winning cricketers.

Correspondents from across the country called the Star News Desk, so did so many readers, some of them suggesting headline to the story of the day.

It suddenly became difficult for the staff writers at Star to move ahead with their copies despite the late night habit of producing volumesgood or bad. After all, they were citizens of Bangladesh too!

A kid - five-year-old, so said a sports reporter attending the phone at 1:00am - called to say how he was feeling.

But poet Rafique Azad felt younger than ever, calling it the victory fantastic. "Since 1971, nothing has done me so much proud," said a tearful Azad who came to The Daily Star Monday night, accompanied by wife Dr Dilara Hafiz.

The merry-making that went long into early Tuesday morning continued all day - declared a half-day holiday by the government.

Normal work stopped at offices - public and private.

At the Secretariat, the seat of government, scene was completely different. Ministers failed to keep appointments. Bureaucrats talked cricket. Employees at canteen sipped tea, had sweets and discussed the victory.

Schools had no classes. At Dhaka University, the vice-chancellor himself led a procession of students, teachers and employees.

At the Teacher-Student Centre, the heart of DU campus, students raised a podium to give everyone around a chance to perform and sing the victory.

Rivals - pro-Awami League Chhatra League and BNP-backed Chhatra Dal - sang the same tune.

At Motijheel, the city's business district, the scenes were far from normal. Stock brokers took a break to brood over the World Cup event.

Businesses had a different day. There was nothing, and there was too much.

Sweets, the most common means of manifesting joyous events, sold more than ever. The shops sweated to meet the mounting demand of customers in long queues. Top makers such as Alauddin, Maran Chand, Ambala and Mahan Chand struggled even after huge extra production.

Biriani, another traditional item for festive occasions, ran out of supply. Star, a famed biriani house, said it cooked 50 dekchis (big bowls) in addition to normal catering but failed to satisfy the demand.

Dwellers in shanties celebrated. The men and women watched their children dance and sing - perhaps without much knowledge what exactly had happened. Rickshaw-paddlers ran faster.

Political adversaries competed with each other in colourful processions and in public pronouncements.

The prime minister ordered a civic reception next Friday. The opposition BNP announced one too.

Even the conservative Jamaat-e-Islami would not lag behind. Jatiya Party had something similar in mind.

It was all because of the history written by the boys from Bangladesh in their first-ever World Cup campaign, first celebrated by the May 24 win against Scotland.

Just for a reminder, Monday's scorecard at Northampton read:

Source :: The Daily Star