Wavin' Flags

By Zabir Hasan

You already know all about the ridiculous discounts we are having because the biggest show on earth, FIFA World Cup 2010 has started. But one thing is getting expensive- the flags. It is almost a tradition of Dhakaits to exhibit their hardcore support for the world cup team of some specific country by increasing the square metres of flags hanging over their residence. So a price increase is not unnatural. But who cares? It's the World Cup we are talking about. People have to wake up and smell the java because this thing comes only 15 times in your whole lifespan. And the bragging rights that come with show-off is not too bad.

The flag fever is extremely infectious. You can see the signs and symptoms all over Dhaka but the most affected areas are Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Old town and Nilkhet. The righteousness of the flags is so extreme that giant billboards don't have a chance to spread their messages. When asked, John, one of the diehard Brazil fans, expressed his feeling about his flag like this, “Yes, my official Brazil flag is the biggest in this area. You can see there are other flags, which look bigger, but they all are disproportionate. That's why they don't count as…” But Russell, temporary archrival and permanent neighbour of John, despises the theory of proportion. “Argentina rocks dude. My flag is way cooler than the green one. Look, I even signed my name on my flag.”

A single flag costs from 50 to 500 bucks according to the size. But if you want you can have your tailor made flag according to your own specification from the tailors of Town Hall, Mohammadpur. And that will cost you around 75 to 100 bucks (price of the cloth excluded). But plain and simple flags do not extinguish the flame of football fever of Dhakaits. Individual decoration, comments and signatures are just a few things that are added afterwards.

Though the games are happening over 5000 miles away from Dhaka, the spirit of the game touched every part of this country and the waving flags all over this town prove that. For the next one month this will be the official jersey of Dhaka.

Photos: Zabir Hasan