A sea of fans welcomes Fortune Barishal’s title celebrations
The celebrations had been anticipated since 7 February, when captain Tamim Iqbal announced they would bring the trophy home on 9 February. That moment finally arrived as thousands gathered to greet the title-winning side.
Fortune Barishal arrived in Barishal with the BPL trophy, and the city turned into a sea of fans as thousands gathered at the historic Bell's Park to welcome their champions.
The celebrations had been anticipated since 7 February, when captain Tamim Iqbal announced they would bring the trophy home on 9 February.
That moment finally arrived this afternoon as the title-winning squad stepped onto the stage with the trophy, greeted by a deafening roar from the crowd.
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On Friday, Barishal secured their second consecutive Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title with a thrilling three-wicket victory over Chattogram Kings at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
In the immediate aftermath, Tamim had declared, "We couldn't come to Barishal with the trophy last time. But this time, we have planned to arrive on the 9th. Hopefully, everyone will be there to welcome us. If everything goes well, you will see us with the cup."
Fans were well aware of the announcement and had been eagerly waiting for the moment. From Sunday morning, supporters started assembling at Bell's Park, and by the time the team arrived at 2 PM, the entire area was packed.
As Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, and their teammates lifted the trophy on stage, the crowd erupted in euphoria, shaking the park with chants of "Barishal, Barishal!"
The celebrations continued for hours, with the full squad—including Towhid Hridoy, Rishad Hossain, Ebadot Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, and Nayeem Hasan—joining in.
The coaching staff, support staff, and team owner Mizanur Rahman, along with his family, were also present. The squad spent several hours at Bell's Park, interacting with fans, taking photos, and soaking in the joyous atmosphere.
Even as the team made their way to the airport, fans lined the streets, waving and cheering to bid their champions farewell. While the players flew back to Dhaka, the celebrations at Bell's Park continued into the evening with a concert featuring popular singer Hasan and his band Ark.
Fortune Barishal and several players shared photos and videos of the event on social media. Mushfiqur posted a selfie with the massive crowd in the background, captioning it, "Thank you, Barishal, for the love. See you again, In Sha Allah."
Final hero Rishad uploaded a video, writing, "Bringing the cup home! The cricket-loving people of Barishal, your excitement makes it all worth it. Much love to you all. Hope to see you again."
Last season, Fortune Barishal won their first-ever BPL title, and team owner Mizanur Rahman had promised to take the trophy to Barishal by launch.
However, that never materialised, and the team didn't travel to Barishal with the trophy.
This time, they once again opted out of a river journey, instead flying in at 2 PM before returning to Dhaka at 6:30 PM.
