Bangladesh celebs slam umpiring in match against India

Anger is palpable in the nation that feeds off cricket. And while Bengalis -like all other Indians -celebrate the victory on this side of the border, Bengalis living only 150 miles away are ruing the missed opportunity .Shafin Ahmed, Frontman of band Miles told us that Thursday was like a holiday in Dhaka. “People stayed indoors and those who had office couldn't stop complaining. It was the country's first knockout match at the World Cup and obviously , a big day for us. No big concert was lined up as all of us wanted to watch the match.“ The Miles man got food from outside and stayed home all day , occasionally taking a stray call or two.“I have recordings and need to think about the next big events, but it will take time,“ he told us.

National Award-winning director from Bangladesh, Enamul Karim Nirjhar, said he has lost interest in the game. “When Bangladesh comes face to face with India, there's always some additional curiosity. Not much filming happened today and everyone was in a holiday mood. In fact, our full concentration was on the game. And now that the country is out of the World Cup race — and under circumstances which most think weren't fair — I don't want to catch the rest of the matches," he quipped.

Bangladeshi television and film actress Suborna Mustafa, who was busy with cricketing commentary on a private radio channel, said the overwhelming feeling was of being cheated out of the game. “An outpouring of sadness, shock and disappointment has engulfed Dhaka at the moment. We were very happy with Bangladesh's achievements in this World Cup, but can't take kindly to the shameful umpiring decisions. Cricket today didn't look like a gentleman's game," she said right after the match.

For Rajib Ashraf, writer of the Jadavpur University war cry, Hok kolorob, the day started with a lot of promise. “The usual traffic snarls were missing in Dhaka. Projectors were put up everywhere -at parks, roads, restaurants -so that people could watch the match together. Preparations were on to bring out the bijoy michhil (victory rally), but that was not to be," he said. Though Rajib was watching the match while editing a motivational film, many of his team members didn't show up. The lyricist, who was out on the road after the team's defeat, said Dhaka had gone silent. “Some people huddled near tea stalls to do a prompt post mortem of the match, but streets wore a deserted look."

Then there are a few like Jaya Ahsan, who though disappointed, haven't lost heart. The actress returned from Dhaka on the day of the quarterfinals.She was there to get her visa done for the Melbourne finals. Jaya, who watched the match alone in Kolkata, said, “It was a complete holiday in Dhaka. My brother had come down from London to watch the match with my family and my sister called me every now and then. Sadly, I missed being in Dhaka. I would have been very happy if Bangladesh had won; it's a young side that gave its best against teams like New Zealand, Australia and India. My ticket for the finals has already being booked and I'm waiting for the visa." So, which team will she be supporting next? “India, of course." Sure, there are things beyond the border...