Bangladeshi chemist Abu Kowsir said South Korea gave his family prosperity — so the least he can do is cheer on his benefactors when they begin their World Cup campaign this week.
He and his wife, Sabina Kowsir, have amused and confused their neighbors by stitching together South Korean flags into a 3.5km long banner that weaves a path from their home, along nearby streets and over a river into a neighboring village.
The extravagant tribute cost them US$5,000 and testifies to Abu Kowsir’s love of a country where he spent much of his adult life as a migrant worker.
Photo: AFP
“We love South Korea and this is how we chose to support the team,” Sabina Kowsir, 34, said. “We will keep supporting them and will pray for their victory.”
Sabina Kowsir has never been to the country where her husband toiled in factories for 15 years, but was intoxicated by the “great tales” he brought home from his time in the industrial giant.
“Whenever my husband came home from South Korea, he would tell me about the culture, discipline and beauty of the country,” she said. “I truly loved those stories. I consider South Korea my dream place to visit.”
Photo: AFP
In the South Korean factory where he worked, Abu Kowsir was responsible for scraping components out of used handsets and other consumer goods, melting down gold and preparing it for resale.
The long stretch abroad gave Abu Kowsir, 45, the resources to start his own jewelry business at home and he credits his labor there for helping propel his family into the country’s middle classes.
He first set his allegiance after watching the 2002 World Cup, jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan, where he was awed by the feats of star midfielder Yoon Jong-hwan.
Photo: AFP
“Jong-hwan was my favorite player, he was brilliant,” Abu Kowsir said at his home.
He said it took tailors two weeks to sew the banner, which was partially bankrolled by his decision to sell a mango orchard he inherited from his father.
Its unfurling has caused a local stir on social media, with thousands of people visiting to catch a glimpse of it in person — even if they do not quite understand the reasoning behind the costly endeavor.
“They are crazy, spending so much money just to show their love for their team,” neighbor Mohammad Akash said. “People are coming to our village from all over just to see.”
Bangladesh is better known for its love of cricket, with its soccer team ranked 192nd globally and never qualifying for the premier international tournament. Every four years, the World Cup still arouses feverish passions in the South Asian nation, where powerhouses Brazil and Argentina have a huge following.
Some die-hard supporters spend fortunes painting their homes in the national colors of their teams.
The ostentatious rivalry has occasionally turned violent. During the last Cup in 2018, rival followers of Lionel Messi and Neymar clashed with machetes in the central town of Bandar, leaving two people critically wounded.
South Korea, ranked 28th, faces an uphill battle against Uruguay when its campaign begins on Thursday, and the daunting prospect of a showdown with Portugal later in the group stage.
Abu Kowsir said he has been gently ribbed by neighbors about his side’s dim prospects while drinking at a local tea stall, but he remains philosophical.
“There’s victory and defeat in every game,” he said. “As a Korean supporter, I hope they will play well. Even if they cannot reach the final, I will still support them.”
Taiwan’s Lee Hao-yu on Friday went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the 19th Taiwan-born player to reach the big leagues. The Tigers ultimately lost 1-0 in 10 innings, ending their six-game winning streak. The 23-year-old started at third base and batted eighth for Detroit. He was promoted from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the four-game series against the Red Sox at the latter’s home stadium, replacing injured utility player Zach McKinstry. “Being right-handed, and given our schedule, I think six of the next 12 games are going to
Matheus Cunha on Saturday fired Manchester United toward the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defense ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins. United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons, but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under interim manager
Italian soccer is at its lowest ebb in nearly 40 years after a wholesale European exodus at club level followed the nation’s failure for the third successive time to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, and compounded a leadership and structural crisis. The exits suffered by Bologna and ACF Fiorentina on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League respectively meant no Italian teams are left in European competition this season. Italy’s last remaining UEFA Champions League contenders, Atalanta BC, went out in the round of 16 last month. It is the first time since the 1986-1987 campaign that Italian clubs
The Detroit Tigers’ Lee Hao-yu on Monday collected his first and second MLB hits in their 8-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The Tigers’ No. 6 prospect, who batted eighth, had an RBI single and a double in four at-bats at Fenway Park, raising his batting average to .182. “He was super thrilled to get his first hit,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after the game. “There’s only one first, you know, and for him, it’s been a couple of games where he’s really been wanting to do it. I’m glad he did it here.” “Young guys settle in when they start
RSS