A fan, aficionado or a supporter is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something. When it comes to a fanatic, it refers to someone who is driven by irrational enthusiasm for a particular cause, sports, group etc. Most of Bangladeshi people are fans of the Bangladesh national cricket team but it’s a matter of grief that not everyone is a fanatic. When someone cares about another, wants to be beside that person no matter what happens trying to inspire at every ups and downs of their time. If the talented Bangladeshi cricketers always had such unconditional fanatics around them maybe they would’ve been playing great long ago.
‘Bangla Brigade’ came into the thoughts of its founder and coordinators noticing that there are innumerable fan bases for numerous football clubs from the English premier league, Spanish league etc. Doesn’t matter if the teams play great or not, the fanatics are always there flooding the whole stadium with their enthusiastic presence and whole-hearted support. Saniul Inam Sani (Founder & Chief Coordinator of Bangla Brigade) on 25th August, 2010 when was watching the Barcelona-AC Milan friendly match with his very close friends (who later on became the coordinators of Bangla Brigade) asked them that even though Bangladeshi people love cricket, why don’t they have a fanatic group supporting the national cricket team where just some football clubs has huge fan bases? That’s when it struck their mind that they along with their friends who love cricket can form such a fandom where all the fanatics will united to support for the country’s national cricket team.
Bangla Brigade, the concept of such fan base was materialized officially on October 1, 2010 with a meeting between all those fanatics of Bangladesh cricket team who were keenly waiting for something like this. Though the meeting was on a Friday still around 100 came to the meeting to be part of this fan base to support their beloved team unconditionally. And on that day after that meeting all the members of this fan base sealed the motto of Bangla Brigade in their heart, “GO GO Bangla Brigade, GO FOR BD Cricket!!” Since that day Bangla Brigade has been devotedly working on its ways to support the national cricket team with all its resources. A week later Bangla Brigade had more than 250 registered members among whom more than 50 were female fanatics of Bangladesh cricket team. Bangla Brigade’s Facebook group (http://tinyurl.com/BanglaBrigadeGroup) reached more than 1000 members on October 27, three weeks after launching its Facebook group. Bangla Brigade recently has also opened up a blog (banglabrigade.blogspot.com).
By the grace of Almighty, Bangla Brigade had a pretty smooth and lucky start. From its debut presence at the stadium as a fan base, Bangla Brigade adorned the gallery with its most lively cheering to support the Bangladeshi cricketers; and what happened on that series has become a glorious part of Bangladesh’s cricket history. The question of, “Was Bangla Brigade lucky for the cricketers or were the cricketers the one who made Bangla Brigade lucky?” has a pretty simple and obvious answer. Bangla Brigade made it this far just because of the great cricketers and the cricketers would have never been this motivated if their fans weren’t there to inspire them relentlessly. Bangla Brigade doesn’t think of itself as a unique entity from the other fanatics of Bangladesh, rather believes that each and every fanatic is part of Bangla Brigade because they all share the same conviction of supporting the Bangladesh national cricket team no matter what happens.
Bangla Brigade coordinators have many dreams they wish to materialize one day. Some of their dreams are having their own fan house, own transportation medium like double decker buses for the members to reach no matter where they have to be to support the team and above all ensuring tickets for each and every fanatics from the group so that they don’t have to enjoy a game leaving a fan behind just because of ticket constraints. Besides supporting the national cricket team at the local grounds they dream that someday Bangla Brigade will be there to support the national team anywhere around the globe. They wish that the obstacles they have between their dreams will be someday overpowered by some savior who would lend their helping hand to support this fan base in other words support the country. Those who have been there as coordinators to keep Bangla Brigade in action as a fan base of Bangladesh cricket team are:
- Founder & Chief Coordinator- Saniul Inam Sani (Student of DU, Faculty of Business Studies)
- Coordinator- Asif Zaman Evan (Student of Institute of Business Administration)
- Coordinator- Mojjammil Sabbir Khandker Tanzil aKa Tj (Student of North South University)
- Coordinator- Ajoy K Sarkar (Student of American International University, Bangladesh)-
- Coordinator- Kazi Rabbi Noor Raaz (Student of DU, Faculty of Business Studies)
- Coordinator- Asif Marzuk (Student of Dhaka City college)
Bangla Brigade whole- heartedly believes that this fan base will always be there to support the national cricket team from now on as it was there in the Bangladesh- New Zealand series. Bangla Brigade has been more inspired because legends like Habibul Bashar Shumon, Khaled Masud Pilot, Hamin Ahmed (Miles), Artcell and many other popular figures were there enjoying the games along with Bangla Brigade in its debut series and appreciated its activities. Every member of Bangla Brigade has become restless to get back rocking the gallery again in the upcoming Bangladesh- Zimbabwe series holding their motto, “GO GO Bangla Brigade, GO FOR BD Cricket!!”
Bangla Brigade’s activity is always updated at its blog, group and fan page:
Bangla Brigade Blog: http://banglabrigade.blogspot.com
Bangla Brigade Group: http://tinyurl.com/BanglaBrigadeGroup
Bangla Brigade Fan page: http://tinyurl.com/BBrigadeFanPage
Article composed by- Mojjammil Sabbir Khandker Tanzil (Coordinator of Bangla Brigade)
This article was published at www.sportszeal.com too!
This article was published at www.sportszeal.com too!
