When the cricket world descends, Dhaka spruces up
Bangladesh is hosting the T20 Cricket World Cup. Dhaka has invested money in infrastructure projects for past regional sporting events, but done little to maintain them afterwards.
India's Shikhar Dhawan plays a ball as Pakistan's Sohaib Maqsood (r.) and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal (l.) watch during their T20 World Cup cricket match at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 21, 2014.
Andrew Biraj/Reuters
The T20 Cricket World Cup is off and running in Bangladesh, and Dhaka looks like a different city – all shiny billboards and well-managed traffic, says our correspondent on the ground.
The question is whether the event will pay off in the long run for Bangladesh. With more traffic cops seemingly on the beat since the March 16 start of the games – or simply better enforcement of traffic laws – Dhaka’s normally choking gridlock is a bit easier to handle, at least in the eyes of locals.
And there’s little doubt that hosting the Cup has been good for Bangladesh’s economy. Foreign teams are pouring in, tourist arrivals have increased, and hotel occupancies are up.Ticket sales are up for domestic airlines, which have sold 80 to 90 percent of their seats for March. ”That’s unusual for domestic airlines,” notes our correspondent.... For the rest of the story, continue reading at our new business publication Monitor Global Outlook.