BuIbul: I visited Fatullah ground and it really made me want to cry

Visiting the venue on Sunday, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul admitted the sight moved him to tears.

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Reflecting on the stadium’s decline during his visit, BCB President Bulbul said with emotion:

“I visited Fatullah ground, and it really made me want to cry. This is the ground where Shahriar Nafees scored a century against Australia, where the Under-19 World Cup semifinal was played, where Asia Cup matches took place. The current state of this stadium is heartbreaking.”

The Shaheed Ria Gope Stadium in Fatullah (formerly Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium) hosted its first international match in 2006.

That same year, Bangladesh played a memorable Test against Australia at the venue. Over the years, the stadium has witnessed several iconic encounters including the 2014 Asia Cup, the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup, a Test against India, and the Under-19 World Cup semifinal.

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But in recent years, the ground has become unplayable. Since 2016, no international match has been staged there, and for nearly two years, even domestic cricket has stopped.

For much of the year, the ground remained waterlogged, leading to both the main and outer fields being filled with sand. Large portions of the galleries have also been buried under the sand, meaning they too will have to be rebuilt.

Renovation work is ongoing, but the progress remains painfully slow. When it will be completed and when cricket can return to Fatullah remains uncertain.