The sky of Mirpur lit up with dazzling lights of fireworks on Sunday night as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ceremonially inaugurated the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BBPL) amid great fanfare and festivity. An array of fireworks lighted up the sky for seven to ten minutes. This year's special event was organised marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The opening ceremony began at 5:30 pm and lasted for five and a half hours, ending at 10:30pm. Popular Bangladeshi singers James and Mamtaz performed in the first part of the gala opening ceremony. The second part was handled by entertainers from Bollywood, featuring the likes of Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif.
Indian singer Sonu Nigam performed at 7:45pm, Kailash Kher at 8:55pm, Katrina Kaif at 9:35pm, Salman Khan at 10pm, and finally Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif together performed at 10:20pm. In between, a spectacular laser beam show again lighted up the sky of Dhaka at 8:35pm.
Prior to this, there was no opening ceremony in the fourth edition of BPL due to shortage of time. The fifth event was canceled due to floods across the country. The entire money allocated for the inauguration is donated to flood victims.
