Ctg wears festive look ahead of T-20 WC

Our Correspondent

CHITTAGONG, Mar 14: Chittagong has worn a festive look as much-awaited T-20 World Cup matches are set to be played at the divisional Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in the city.

The stadium has been brilliantly decorated with colours by a group of young artists headed by Sayem Hossain of Chittagong University Institute of Fine Arts.

The beautification works have been completed under the supervision of the Engineering Corps of the Bangladesh Army. Warrant Officer of the Corps Abul Kalam Azad said the beautification works are completed and cleaning inside the ground has neared completion.

Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is one of the three stadiums selected for the 20-over version of cricket hosted by Bangladesh. The other two stadiums are Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium and Sylhet Divisional Stadium.

Hosts Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan in the first match on March 16 in the qualifying round.

Four teams arrived in the port city and have played two warm-up matches of the T-20 dashing format at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. The teams are Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong and the Netherlands.

The Chittagong divisional stadium has been named after late Awami League leader and minister Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury, who was one of the leading organisers of the War of Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. He was a close associate of Father of the Nation and founder president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The main thoroughfares in the city have been decorated on both sides with colourful posters and displays.

Meanwhile, security has been strengthened in the city on the occasion of the T-20 World Cup. Additional police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been deployed at different strategic installations and more are on patrol in the city.