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Zindine Zidane as Bangladesh poll observer?
Bangladesh president offers poll observer status to Zidane.
BY CORRESPONDENT
November 9, 2006
The hullabaloo of the head butt seems to have faded away. French football legend Zinedine Zidane has been now offered a job, by none other than the President of Bangladesh. The job will be as an election observer in the South Asian nation's parliamentary polls scheduled for January next.
The proposal came after Zidane, who has spent two days in Bangladesh at the invitation of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. He had expressed willingness to return to the country as he found Bangladesh overwhelming.
Sources said that the president had told Zidane that he was very popular in Bangladesh. He invited him to be an election observer for the upcoming general elections.
Zinedine Zidane was in Bangladesh to launch the food company jointly owned by French food giant Danone and Yunus' Grameen Bank. The fottball legend had also said that he was overwhelmed with the warm hospitality given by the people of Bangladesh , adding he would come here again if I get the opportunity.
As part of his engagements in the country, Zidane visited a village near the capital and thrilled villagers by taking part in an impromptu game with local children. He was also at the national stadium in Dhaka to play in an exhibition match with under-16 teams watched by an estimated television audience of 25 million.
If the soccer takes up the job on offer, he will indeed have a tough time on a different playing field. The political scene in Bangladesh is far from peaceful considering the fact that the nation has been rocked by violent protests ahead of the polls. The Opposition parties have been contesting the independence of the election commission and has called for its chief to step down.
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