Port city rejoices in BPL's grand opening
Football aficionados in the port city of Chittagong were full of enthusiasm as they came to the MA Aziz Stadium to watch the opening ceremony of the country's professional football league, the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), yesterday afternoon. There was good reason for the excitement as this, the ninth iteration of the BPL, marks the first time that the league will start outside the capital.
Yesterday's opening ceremony started BPL's journey from Chittagong, from where it will travel to other districts of the country, including Dhaka.
It will also mark the first time since 2007, when Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) first organised the league, that the BPL will not be played on a home-and-away basis.
People in their thousands came in through the gates to be entertained by the fireworks and cultural presentations of the opening ceremony, where all the captains and managers of the 12 participating teams were present.
Abu Taher, a resident of the city's Jhautola area, was excited about the prospect of the first big tournament in Chittagong since October last year.
“I watched all the matches of Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup 2015 in October last year when I saw the galleries of MA Aziz Stadium abuzz with spectators,” he told The Daily Star. “I will not forget the final match of the tournament where around 25,000 spectators were present to support Chittagong Abahani.”
Suparna Das enjoyed the festivities with her two children. She said she felt excited to attend the opening ceremony of such a big football event.
“I feel proud that the organisers have chosen Chittagong for the first time as the venue to start the BPL,” she said, adding: “I think it will play an important role in reawakening football in the port city.”
Chittagong city mayor AJM Nasir Uddin expressed his hope during the ceremony that the lost football heritage of Chittagong would return with this league.
“We saw a lot of spectators in the stadium during the Sheikh Kamal Club Cup last year,” he said. “We hope the galleries will be full to the brim this time also.”
BFF president Kazi Salahuddin said everybody should play a role in bringing back the glorious tradition of football in the country.
“We want football to reach every corner of the country,” he said. “We want o make football popular in the remote areas.”
Syed Shahabuddin Shamim, organising secretary of BPL, said the matches of BPL will start from July 24, with a total of 18 first-round matches to be being held in Chittagong between then and August 3.
The opening day of the league will see defending champion Sheikh Jamal take on Arambagh, before Sheikh Russell square off against Uttar Baridhara in the day's second match.
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