The glittering original FIFA World Cup Trophy, for the first time in the history, arrived in the capital Tuesday noon on a three-day tour to Bangladesh. The coveted World Cup trophy reached the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 12 noon from United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a Danish charted plane accompanied by FIFA delegates. BFF president Kazi M Salahuddin along with representative of Coca-Cola, corporate partners of FIFA, received the trophy at the airport. The trophy will be kept open for approximately 15,000 invitees to watch it for two days on Wednesday-Thursday at Hotel Radisson so that the visitors can take photos with the trophy. The trophy will be kept open for spectators from 9 am to 6 pm on Wednesday and 9 am to 2 pm on Thursday. Originally, the trophy was scheduled to be displayed at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, but the venue was later shifted to Hotel Radisson for security reasons. This is for the first time that the authentic, solid gold original FIFA World Cup Trophy has been brought to Bangladesh A replica of FIFA World Cup had toured Bangladesh in 2002, but this is the first time the solid gold original trophy is traveling to Bangladesh as part of its world tour covering 149,576.78 kms which is more than three times the Earth’s circumference. The FIFA World Cup tour started from Rio de Janeiro on September 12 for a 267-day global trek during which it will travel to 88 countries. After the three-day tour of Bangladesh, the trophy will be taken to Bhutan on December 20. Immediately after landing in Bangladesh, the trophy was taken to Bangabhaban and shown to President Abdul Hamid. A delegation, including BFF President Kazi Salahuddin, BFF Senior Vice-President Abdus Salam Murshedy and Global Representative for FIFA Jan Schetters, went to the Bangabhaban along with the trophy in the afternoon. President Abdul Hamid received the trophy at Bangabhaban at 3 pm and hoisted it above his head with enthusiasm like a true soccer fan. President Abdul Hamid lifted the FIFA World Cup Trophy with his own hands at Bangabhaban as the original trophy arrived in the country for the first time in history. Abdul Hamid thanked FIFA for including Bangladesh in the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour. The President said the display of the original trophy will inspire thousands of local football fans. Later, the trophy was taken to the Prime Ministers official residence Gonobhaban in the afternoon to show it to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saw the original FIFA World Cup Trophy, which is now in Bangladesh as part of its world tour programme to 88 countries. A 45-member delegation, led by BFF president Kazi M Salahuddin, comprising officials of BFF, FIFA and soft drink maker Coca-Cola, a corporate partner of FIFA accompany went to Gonobhaban with Trophy. In presence of the Prime Minister, the FIFA and BFF officials unveiled the 36.5 centimeter long Gold Trophy — 13 centimeters in diameter and 6.175 kg in weight. Later, Sheikh Hasina posed for photographs with the trophy. BFF President Kazi M Salahuddin, National Football Coach Lodewijk de Kruif and family members of the Prime Minister were, among others, present on the occasion. Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, who said he is not a diehard football fan himself but does watch the World Cup final to see his trophy raised, designed the current trophy in 1971. At that time, the trophy cost about US$ 50,000, now valued over US$ 10 million. – UNB
