Pakistan in damage control mode after Bangladesh reacts strongly to hoisting of flag

Several Bangladeshi cricket fans were angered after the Pakistan cricket team hoisted the Pakistani flag in the Mirpur ground in Dhaka on Tuesday. The Bangladeshi citizens did not like the act and also felt it was a political gesture ahead of the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's independence.

The Pakistani cricket team is currently in Bangladesh where it is scheduled to play three T20 matches and two test matches.

Bangladesh is celebrating 50 years of its independence. The southeast Asian nation, a close neighbour of India, freed itself from the rule of Pakistan after a hard-fought battle with help from the Indian Army in 1971.

According to people familiar with the development, Bangladesh minister Dr Murad Hasan was unimpressed by the incident. Hasan also said that the team be sent back with the flag. “Pakistan cricketers hoisted their national flag during practice. This is not acceptable under any circumstances. I can't support it in any manner,” Hasan said.During any sporting event, it is common practice to hoist the national flags of the participating countries before a fixture but hoisting it during the practice match by the Pakistan national team stirred controversy. “Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's daughter and prime minister Sheikh Hasina took Bangladesh cricket to new heights through various initiatives. Pakistan team’s practice of hoisting the national flag in Dhaka is a great blow to our national spirit at a time when Bangladesh is celebrating the golden jubilee of its independence from Pakistan and Mujib Borsho marking birth centenary of Bangabandhu,” Hasan further added.

Civil society body Nirmul Committee, which was formed to track down and put killers and collaborators of Pakistan during the 1971 war, also condemned the move and said it was ‘intentionally’ disrespectful towards Bangladesh as it celebrates the golden jubilee of its independence.

Pakistan Cricket Board, however, went into damage control mode saying that coach Saqlain Mushtaq began this practice two months earlier. “ Saqlain Mushtaq launched the practice to boost the team's morale,” visiting team manager Ibrahim Badizi told news agency BBC.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pak-in-damage-control-mode-after-bangladesh-reacts-strongly-to-hoisting-of-flag-101637244363678.html