Cricket Spectacle to Help Spur the Bangladesh Economy
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 going on, in these three countries, but this thrilling moment adds an enormous sensation in Bangladesh as it is going to be the host for such a mega event for the first time ever in the history.
Question is what we look from this event. Is this just like a sporting event that should be organised with perfection only, or we try to capitalise this event to add a dimension in our country that would help us place ourselves in far better position? Undeniably such a mega event like the world cup crocket can make a significant impact on local economy and could also have a positive effect in society, which beyond any doubt Bangladesh needs to pursue. We simply cannot let this moments go away; this is the moment through which we can exalt our overall image and can surely elevate country’s economy.
A successful organisation of the world cup would mean a lot to Bangladesh and it would give it a great exposure.
The Bangladesh economy, through this mega event, would have a positive impact and the organisers need to make sure that they do not lose this opportunity. Enhancing the name value of the region should be a major incentive for localities hosting either World Cup games or training camps. Through this world cup, we would be able to reroute global tourist flows and would be able to establish new places as tourist destinations. For those people who would be in Bangladesh to watch the world cup matches, our goal would be to show the potentialities of our countries to them. There would be many investors from around the globe here during this event and if we could have a proper exposition of our country, they would be more than happy to come back here with their businesses in Bangladesh.
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 would be the 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 would be here during the world cup and the successful completion of this event would help them to understand the potentialities of Bangladesh market; these companies would sponsor Bangladesh cricket officially in future that would anyway impact the Bangladesh economy in a very constructive way.
Since such a mega event is going to take place in Bangladesh for the first time ever, people would be keener to watch if Bangladesh successfully synchronises every step of this world cup event. A successful completion of this event would have greater upbeat effects on revenue generation, infrastructure legacy, and, in the longer term, on tourism and economic activity through media spotlight and return visits.
Through this event Bangladesh must aim at longer-term beneficial effects, additional to direct expenditure which this event would definitely involve. Hypothetically it would occur through both return visit by the spectators and more importantly, through the increased investment and tourism activity that such an exposition brings. Studies on the propensity of visitors to major events to return to the host region have shown a pragmatic, if not staggering effect. Not only in the economic area, the event would also have a positive effect 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 center-piece of not only cricketing events, but also of hosting 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. This could be the time when Bangladesh might offer Pakistan to arrange international cricket in Dhaka as their home ground, instead of going to the UAE or England.
Right before starting this event, Bangladesh could establish an internet site to market the host region for this spectacle. This internet site could represent Bangladesh in various ways and can show the potentialities of this country. The inauguration of such a site, especially at this moment, would amplify the momentum of our country. The whole world would be looking at Bangladesh and we have got to make sure to utilize every bit of it.
Mega-events such as the World Cup Cricket should be utilised by dominant forces in society to convey particular world views of the present and memories of the past. This world cup will bear out the close relationship between mega-events and the globalisation process: such events are concurrently driven by globalization, and promote globalisation.
This spectacle has such promising aspects through which our economy can be boosted to a greater magnitude. Organising such an event means the capabilities of doing something different, which Bangladesh must realize and must utilize this momentum. There will be people watching this spectacle not in stadiums only, but people from all around the globe will be watching this event from their homes. Bangladesh has just got a huge opportunity to get closer to millions of people through which the image of our country would be elevated. It will, thus, give an opportunity to Bangladesh to change the momentum of its economy.
