Rangpur Riders pay tribute to July uprising martyrs with symbolic jersey

After a transformative student-led movement that toppled the Awami League government, a spirit of change is evident across Bangladesh – even within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Rangpur Riders made a strong gesture of solidarity on Thursday, as they became the first team to commence preparations for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

In a tribute to the students and citizens who lost their lives in the July-August protests, Rangpur unveiled a special training jersey dedicated to their memory, showcasing a bold departure from their traditional look.

Traditionally dressed in blue, the Rangpur Riders adopted red and green for their training jerseys, mirroring the colours of the Bangladeshi flag. This symbolic shift honours the resilience and sacrifice of those involved in the uprisings.

The front of the jersey features silhouettes of citizens raising the flag, a nod to the spirit of defiance that marked the protests. Splashes of red across the green fabric are designed to symbolise the blood of the martyrs, further reinforcing the theme of sacrifice and struggle.

Team and sponsor logos are modestly placed near the chest, while the back highlights the green of the national flag, transitioning to a splattered red design at the base, signifying the sacrifices of the fallen

Explaining the decision to alter the traditional blue, team director Shanian Tanim shared that the redesign reflects a broader representation of Bangladesh.

"As you can see, it's red and green. Normally, we use a blue theme for our jerseys at Rangpur Riders, but we felt that as we're representing Bangladesh, we should incorporate the national colours – at least for our practice jerseys," Tanim said. "You can see the people depicted on the lower part, holding the Bangladeshi flag, as a tribute."

This revamped jersey, Tanim elaborated, is also a tribute to the spirit of a 'new Bangladesh'. "Since Bangladesh has experienced such significant change, we wanted to honour that in some way. We wanted to show that Rangpur is not just a regional team but represents all of Bangladesh," he added.

"While it's primarily about showing respect to the movement, we're also thinking about representing the larger national picture. Bangladesh has been through a lot, and we hope the changes will lead to a better future," Tanim explained.

"We want to dedicate this jersey to everyone in Bangladesh. If people from all corners of the country see this and feel a sense of unity, even a bit more support for Rangpur, that alone would be a great achievement for us."