Cricket to elevate our image
Photo: Syed Ashraful Alom Tito/Driknews
India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are co-hosting one of the biggest spectacles of the world --ICC Cricket World Cup, 2011. There is indeed a thrilling atmosphere in these three countries, but it is enormous in Bangladesh because this is the first time we are going to host such a mega event.
The question is, what we can get from this event? Is this just like a sporting event that should be organised with perfection only, or should we try to capitalise on it to add a dimension in our country that would help us place ourselves in far better position?
Undeniably, such a mega event like world cup cricket can make a significant impact on the local economy and can also have a positive affect on society. We simply cannot let this moment go away; this is the moment through which we can exalt our overall image and can surely elevate our economy.
A successful organisation of this world cup would mean a lot, and would give Bangladesh a positive image. Enhancing the name value of the region should be a major incentive for countries hosting either World Cup games or training camps. Through this world cup we will be able to reroute global tourist flows and establish new places as tourist destinations. Our goal should be to show the potentialities of our countries to those who will be in Bangladesh to watch the world cup matches.
There will be many investors here from around the globe during this event, and if we can represent our country positively, they will be more than happy to come back with their business.
We must see this world cup cricket as a worthwhile endeavour for corporate sponsors and media companies, or the local organisers and the economies of the venue cities. It will be a time when Bangladeshi TV channels can show their potentialities to be awarded the rights in future to telecast some cricket events exclusively.
Representatives from giant companies like Adidas, Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Emirates, and so on will be here during the world cup, and the successful completion of this event will help them to understand the potentialities of Bangladesh market; these companies could sponsor Bangladesh cricket officially in future, which would impact Bangladesh economy in a very constructive way.
A successful completion of this event will have greater upbeat effects on revenue generation, infrastructure, and long-term effects on tourism and economic activity through media spotlight and return visits.
Through this event, Bangladesh must aim at long-term beneficial effect, along with direct expenditure which this event will definitely incur. This will occur through both return visit by the spectators and, more importantly, through the increased investment and tourism activity that such events bring.
Studies on the propensity of visitors to major events to return to the host region have shown a pragmatic, if not staggering, effect. The event will have positive effect not only in the economic area but on society as well. One famous sociologist defined mega-events as "large scale cultural events of mass popular appeal and international importance which are typically stage managed by a combination of national governmental and international nongovernmental actors."
Sher-E-Bangla Cricket Stadium could be the centre piece of not only cricketing events, but of other international events, since it has been renovated with lots of facilities that could attract many people to use it for many international events.
Bangladesh could establish an internet site to market the host region for this spectacle. This internet site could represent Bangladesh in various ways and show the potentialities of this country. Such a site, especially at this moment, will increase the momentum of our country. The whole world will be looking at Bangladesh and we have got to make sure to utilise every bit of it.
Mega-events such as World Cup Cricket should be utilised to convey particular worldviews of the present and memories of the past. This world cup will divulge the close relationship between mega-events and the globalisation process: they are concurrently driven by globalisation, and promote globalisation.
This spectacle has such promising aspects through which our economy can be accelerated to a greater magnitude. Organising such event means having the capability to do something differently. There will be people watching this spectacle from all around the globe. Bangladesh has got a huge opportunity to get closer to millions of people through which the image of our country will be elevated.
The writer is Lecturer, State University of Bangladesh. E-mail: [email protected]
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