Again Mr. Gaus said, "we would have been hurt if he had said something against our country, our history, our culture or our valiant people". How on earth could he say that? Did he totally forget the incidents of 1952? Why is he so insensitive about our national pride? If a high profile representative of our country feels comfortable in giving interview in Urdu, then why Salam, Barkat, Rafik, Jabbar and many more sacrificed their lives? This is about pride of being a Bangladeshi and being able to speak in our own language. When Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman delivered a speech in Bangla at the UN in 1974, it gave a huge boost to the morale of this tiny nation. And when any Mr. Latif gave an interview in Urdu, it hurt everyone as it undermined our history and achievement.

It is also important to mention that during our national team's visit to Australia, he embarrassed the whole world by saying to the famous cricket magazine Wizden's editor, "what is wizden?"

***

I was not sure how to react when I heard that someone gave an interview in Urdu on PTV. One should not overreact, I told myself; after all, it is Pakistan and they speak Urdu there. Then I heard that this particular person is the manager of our cricket team!

Now it is true that he has a right to express himself in any form he deems fit. However, our colonel was not there on personal business. He was representing a nation.

And he probably forgot that something happened on a bright spring day in 1952 and that is why we are here. It adds insult to injury when lame excuses are given to justify his actions. His aim was to reach out to a broader audience?

A sad day indeed to be a Bangladeshi.

Yahya Pramanic, USA