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Shafiqul Alam: After he established himself as the most prolific and arguably the most beloved batsman of Bangladesh, I desperately wanted that one day Tamim Iqbal would talk about his linguistic difference and identity. That he would admit that he grew up in an Urdu speaking family and that his family had a North Indian Urdu roots. 

Maybe this admission would not have made much of a difference in his cricketing life. But for hundreds of thousands of Urdu speaking people, who are poor and are confined in Geneva Camp ghettoes and for many decades lacked citizenship rights, it would have made a huge statement. I am sure it would have made life a lot easier for this linguistic minority. DhakaDiary

Selected Comments : [1] Ali Sanwar-There are prominent academics like Asif Nazrul who has Bihari roots. His deceased brother, Motiur Rahman, once told me.The way Asif behaves, it seems, he is a Bengali. There are other prominent cricketers like Atahar Ali khan and Tamim's uncle, Akram Khan.

[2] Yashab Osama Rahman-Yes but he doesnÕt have to speak for an identity he hasnÕt ever adopted. It would be pointless. And I doubt it would help anyone in the camps, since an Urdu-speaking or Bihari identity is wildly different from the identity of those in the camps.

[3] MD Talebur Islam Rupom- As per citizenship, I assume they avail the benefits of a citizen. Isn't it great news for them compared to what Bengali speaking living in Pakistan since 1947 are still facing? I often hear from my friends from Pakistan and other sources that Bengali speaking have the most miserable lives in Pakistan, literally in the trash of the most polluted slums and they have never been granted any citizenship even though they are living there before the liberation war. There are alreadz two-three generations who are born there. The only development that they had is once Imran Khan wanted to consider giving citizenship during his PMship. I would like to hear what you think of them and their condition.

[4] Shahroza Nahrin-Exactly, I long for that day too. Such linguistic minorities exist and they need representation against Bangla hegemony. Linguistic diversity will enrich Bangla, not overshadow it. From Facebook