The brief trip that Emiliano Martinez made in Dhaka yesterday generated a lot of excitement among the many fans of Argentina who live in the nation, but it also left a lot of people with a feeling of dissatisfaction owing to the fact that the visit was so quick and there were so many security precautions.
The goalie for Argentina that won the World Cup had a layover in Dhaka for 11 hours on his way to Kolkata, where he would participate in a variety of events and public meetings over the course of two days. However, throughout his time in Dhaka, he only made two stops, both of which were private in nature.
After arriving in the wee hours of Monday after a 36-hour flight from Amsterdam, the 30-year-old was taken away to a five-star hotel in Gulshan under high security. The hotel was located in the heart of the city. The tinted vehicle that he was driven in drove right into the parking area to escape the gathering of supporters and media members, and the remainder of his visit proceeded in the same manner.
After getting some rest for a few hours, Martinez and his entourage traveled to the office of NEXT Ventures, a digital business company that sponsored Martinez’s trip to Dhaka. They stayed at the office for close to an hour and met a number of guests, including a former captain of the Bangladesh cricket team named Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and the State Minister for Information and Communication Technology named Zunaid Ahmed Palak. Martinez’s trip was sponsored by NEXT Ventures.
The Argentine player was presented with a tiny boat as well as a copy of a hawk, which is the bird that Bangladeshi supporters refer to him as because of his quickness and reactions. The hawk is a symbol of Bangladesh’s rural life as well as the governing Awami League.
The goalkeeper for Aston Villa, who is attracting interest from a couple of the best teams in the Premier League, then made a courtesy visit on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office. During their conversation, he gave her an Argentina jersey and they discussed football, Argentina, and Bangladesh.
Later on, Palak and Mashrafe, the latter of whom is a self-proclaimed avid Argentina fan, shared their pleasure at being able to meet and spend some time with the Argentine superstar by uploading images and sharing accounts of their adventure on social media. Mashrafe is a self-proclaimed hardcore Argentina fan.
Although Mashrafe was one of the fortunate few to have had the chance to meet his hero, many others were left disappointed because they were unable to get a glimpse of the Argentine because he did not make a public appearance as was stated prior to his visit. While Mashrafe was one of the lucky few to have had the opportunity to meet his idol, many others were left dejected because they were unable to catch a glimpse of the Argentine.
Jamal Bhuiyan, captain of the Bangladesh football team, arrived at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with the rest of the squad after their participation in the SAFF Championship in India. Bhuiyan waited at the VIP gate in the hopes of having a conversation with Martinez, but his efforts were in vain.
Although it was communicated to Martinez’s security and the organizers that the Bangladesh captain was waiting to meet Martinez, the goalkeeper was quickly whisked into the airport before departing for Kolkata, where he gave interviews to the media upon his arrival to begin an elaborate visit to the City of Joy. Martinez’s visit to Kolkata was part of an elaborate tour of the City of Joy.
Martinez subsequently stated on Instagram that he was affected by the hospitality of the Bangladeshi people. However, it is possible that he did not experience the genuine hospitality of the Bangladeshis or the enthusiasm that the Bangladeshis have over Argentine football.