Pink Sky: Sports and patriotism in 1971

Pink sky is the symbol of Independence

BD First Flag & Cricket Team Before 1971

The story of history

- "Ayub Khan Made a Mistake, he should have killed the ----- Mujib."

After saying that, it was not a second late. Rakibul Hasan (Bangladeshi Ex Cricket Player) punched hard. Kamran Rashid ( Pakistani Ex Cricket Player) fell to the ground. Then he started terrible beating Kamran.

Rakibul Hasan brought Kamran under the tiller after beating him. Whatever he got at hand, he went on

injury after injury. Eventually, wounded Kamran survives Rakibul's hand rather than beg for life.

The time was 1970.

Rakibul Hasan, the son of Bengali, was just 16 at that time. He was the cricket player of Pakistan U-25 camp in Karachi then.The chat was going on that evening in the camp. Pakistan's politics was turbulent then. Politics came to the cricketers' chat also.

When left-arm spinner Kamran Rashid of Peshawar said, "Ayub Khan made a mistake, he should have killed the Mujib." It was then that Rakibul Hasan, a young Bengali man, staged this daring protest in Karachi, West Pakistan.

The cricketers in Pakistan were stunned to see this statue of a Bengali sitting in Karachi. The next day Rakibul Hasan was summoned to the Court Martial.

Major Shuja asked,

- Why did you do that?

Rakibul replied, keeping an eye on Major.

- He's talking nonsense about my leader, who insulted the Bengali leader. I will do this every time you insult me.

February 26, 1971 ...

Pakistan's Test match against the International XI at the Dhaka Stadium. Rakibul Hasan was called up for the first time in the Pakistan XI in that Test match after being repeatedly deprived of the crime of being a Bengali.

Rakibul does not sleep happily at night. But all the dreams were shattered the day before the match. All the openers of Pakistan team have been given Gray Nichols brand bats. Above the bat, there was the sword symbol, the election symbol of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Rakibul had blood on his head.The Awami League under the leadership of Bangabandhu got a single majority in the whole of Pakistan in this election.Waiting for the formation of Bengali government.

"No, no, you can't go on the field with Ayub Khan's election symbol on the bat." Rakibul told himself.

Rakibul came out of Purbani Hotel at night and sat down in consultation with his friend Sheikh Kamal

- What can be done !!!.

February 26 morning, Dhaka Stadium.

Thousands of Bengali visitors to the gallery. With West Pakistani Azmat Rana, Rakibul got down to start batting.The first thing a photographer noticed was, He rushed to take pictures.

News spread across the stadium at the moment - Rakibul, instead of a sword in his bat, "Joy Bangla" is playing with sticker.

The sky shook across the stadium, turned like pink, and the slogan was, "Joy Bangla, Joy Bangla." The flash of domestic and foreign cameras ignited. The next day the headlines of the big newspapers around the world, "Rakibul Hasan shocked the world by coming on the field with Joy Bangla sticker for Pakistan"

In an  interview, Rakibul said:

As soon as he saw the red-green flag in March, Memories took Rakibul Hasan away in 1971.  After that match became a pros pond. As West Pakistani player Zaheer Abbas, returning and leaving, raised his hand and said,

- See you again Rakibul, in Karachi.

Rakibul Hasan said firmly,

- Must see.

But then I would have a new passport. Our Rakibul Hasanas spoke.

Fought nine months, become the owner of a new passport. Then he returned home.

I am proud of these heroic deeds. I want to let the new generation know.

.

Every year on the morning of March 26,

I Keep flying, Looking at the red-green flag in the pink  sky and tears glitter n the corner of the eye.