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Stop the propaganda!

QUAZI ZULQUARNAIN ISLAM
Before we go any further, a commendation is in order.
Praise should be showered to any and all members and/or staff of the Bangladesh cricket team, for the courage to find it within them to smile optimistically and find positives in the face of such incredulity (if two series whitewashes in a row does indeed foster that)) - * •
Hope after all springs eternal.
So it seems, does optimism at least as far as the Tigers are concerned.
It may be sombre times for cricket loving fans in the country, the pits in the eyes of pundits and just plain stupidity in the view of some others.
But for the real people, those who are entrusted with running the game and playing it the past is nothing if not full of positives, the future is nothing if not bright.
Who knows? A fool's tinge of orange maybe, the colour? Perhaps the following analogy will not be entirely relevant but living through these Dark/Grey/ Bright (depending on who you believe) times for Bangladesh cricket one is reminded of another story of such blatant optimism.
The year is 2003. The scene is Iraq. And what's going on is definitely not cricket.
In April of 2003, the US invasion of Iraq was in full flow.
It was a dismal time for most and a sobering experience for many but the blatant optimism of one man shone through like a lighthouse on stormy seas.
That man was Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf.
Those not entirely familiar with the name would probably remember the toothbrush-moustached, bespectacled al-Sahhaf as Iraq's Information Minister under Saddam Hussein.
As invading soldiers burrowed in, signalling the end of Iraqi resistance al-Sahhaf seemed unperturbed. Losses after losses followed but at the end of it all during the “meet the press” sessions Sahhaf was there to add a positive
spin on things. Mass defection --no problem, upheaval no sweat, repeated defeats by irrational margins what's there to worry about? /
After all there are always positives to take from everything. And whatever else, the future was bright.
His eternal optimism didn't go unnoticed. He was praised in all the right quarters. He was nicknamed 'Saddam's Optimist' but some even got away with the less than glorious 'Comical Ali.'
Like all good things though, it was not to last. (±6 Bangladesh cricket team should take notice)
The final straw sadly came on the seventh dayof April
On April 7, American tanks had breached Baghdad and were seen patrolling the streets of the capital. In the eyes of everyone the invasion was well and truly complete.
But al-Sahhaf did not let something as ephemeral as sanity put a stop his positive attitude. Oh no!
In a press conference, not a stone throw away from the boldest tank, he claimed that there were no American troops in Baghdad, and that the Americans were 'committing suicide' by the hundreds at the city's gates.
Suffice to say it was al-Sahhafs last contribution as the Information Minister.
Moral of this story is: Honesty is the best policy but a positive attitude is not always the best attitude.
Sometimes we should let reality bite. Sometimes accepting reality rather than letting a delusional shower wash our worries away is the way to go.
Our Tigers (cats?) would do well to pay heed to that matter.
And in case they don't, there is always al-Sahhafs fate to cheer them on. As happened with the Iraqi, we may next see Mohammad Ashraful gain a cult following with his pictures being photo shopped on posters of the D-Day landings and The Battle of Waterloo, all the while maintaining that all may be lost but there were 'definitely positives' to take from it.