Cricketers bring joy to millions as Bangladesh navigates turbulent times

When businessman Tanvir Siddiqi reached out to his friends with excitement on Tuesday, he was struggling to find the right words to express his joy over the Bangladesh cricket team’s historic Test series win against Pakistan.

But the breathless joy was not his alone.

Around the country, millions of Bangladeshis celebrated the victory – as the country savoured a rare moment of sporting glory during a tumultuous time.

“It’s hard to put into words how monumental this is for Bangladesh,” Siddiqi, 41, tells TRT World. “Given the current situation in Bangladesh, the significance of this victory is immense.”

The South Asian nation had just experienced one of the most violent periods of civil unrest, which ended the 15-year iron-fisted rule of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina.

Over 800 people—mostly students and ordinary citizens—had lost their lives, and the nation is still grappling with the aftermath.

Even cricket, the country’s most popular sport that often serves as a unifying force during challenging times, had failed to capture the attention of fans like Siddiqi, who are still reeling from the collective trauma.

All that changed on a balmy September afternoon.

Leading the celebrations was Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, the leader of the interim government, who congratulated captain Najmul Hossain Shanto in a phone call.

“The whole nation is proud of you,” Younus was quoted as saying by his office.

The Dhaka Tribune, a popular daily, succinctly summarised the nation's mood in a report headlined "Winners."

"This series win is emblematic of broader transformation within Bangladesh," it said, adding that the victory embodied the "resilience, determination, and the spirit of a nation that wants to achieve more than what was expected of it".

Star all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz – declared the player of the series in Rawalpindi – dedicated his award to the “martyred student protesters”, acknowledging their role in the ouster of Hasina.

Bangladesh's Test cricket journey began in 2000, but it took the Tigers – as the team is popularly called – four years to achieve their first series win against Zimbabwe in 2004. They then had to wait another five years for their next Test series victory.

Nation in transition

The South Asian nation is still grappling with the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic rule and the 20-day protests marked by unprecedented violence.

Many view Yunus’s assuming leadership as the first step toward rebuilding the nation from the remnants of a repressive regime.

In just a month, the Yunus administration has demonstrated its ability to restore order following the retreat of police forces aligned with Hasina. The security personnel had abandoned their posts amid public backlash over the use of live ammunition against protesters.

Additionally, the administration secured the release of 57 Bangladeshi protesters from the UAE, where they had been jailed for protesting Hasina’s abuses. This achievement is particularly notable given that the Gulf State does not permit street protests.

“It feels like the [Dr] Yunus magic has reached the cricket field as well,” Arpita Afsana, a university student, tells TRT World.

“For a long time, I lost interest in Bangladesh cricket—not only because of their poor performance but also because they became symbols of Hasina’s repressive regime. But things have changed rapidly now.”

The victory also comes as the country struggles to provide relief to millions of people affected by one of the most destructive floods in recent memory.

The great unifier?

Journalist Syed Faiz Ahmed says that the Hasina regime used cricket and cricketers as political tools so blatantly that it created widespread resentment.

“The players, who were once heavily supported by the public, received minimal backing as many felt they remained silent during the student-led revolution that toppled Hasina,” Ahmed tells TRT World.

For instance, Ahmed pointed out that Shakib Al Hasan, the most successful and prominent cricketer in the country’s history, was a member of Hasina’s last parliament. “In fact, he [Shakib] was facing a murder charge at the time,” Ahmed said, referring to a recent case filed against Shakib after Hasina’s fall.

“However, the historic win and their gesture of donating prize money to flood victims and those who died in the anti-Hasina protests might help them regain public support.”

Nazmul Hasan, the controversial head of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), who held the position for 12 years despite numerous calls for his resignation from players and the public, finally stepped down.

Cricket writer Saif Hasnat says the recent change in government may have provided the players with an additional boost and a sense of victory that was reflected on the cricket field.

“In this context, this win means more than just cricket, especially given the current political climate,” he tells TRT World.

Cricket analyst Shaquib Ahmed says that the timing of this win coincides with the revolutionary changes” that swept through Bangladesh.

“It gives people even more reason to celebrate their newfound freedom,” he tells TRT World.