In a city renowned for it’s leisurely activities, sport is hardly the most visible pastime. Even local sports are an irregular phenomenon and national sports are thought to be a far cry. Hence, when a tournament of regional magnitude comes to town, the interest amongst the locals is almost palpable.
One senses the absolute excitement as soon as he steps near the half-constructed Cox’s Bazar Zilla Stadium that is hosting this inaugural SAFF Women’s Football Championship; the biggest sporting event in the history of the seaside town.
The ground staging the event has been developed recently by the Bangladesh Football Federation to come close to the standards of an international event. The VIP box and the adjacent press facility, the press conference room, the change rooms for the players belie a modern-day sporting arena.
The concrete structures for the seating spectators and the vacant areas for those standing have been hastily improved by the District Sports Association, so that they can somehow accommodate the five thousand spectators that were expected. The reality however is that many more crowd around the stadium since morning for a chance to get a glimpse of the action. Many leave disappointed.
One lucky spectator yesterday was Rasul Hayat, a trader from Inani, a few miles from here. Rasul came with his friend to watch the Afghanistan-Nepal match.
“We’ve come all the way to watch this match. This is a big event for the district and I could not miss the experience. Maybe, I will come tomorrow with my kids to watch Bangladesh’s match.”
A walk around the stadium revealed the true excitement of the locals to witness the spectacle. The roofs and windows of adjacent buildings were thronged with eager onlookers and the high walls beyond the stadium and the trees surrounding it were perilously populated for an experience that is very unique and rare for a place more known for its tourism than its sports.
