You could not possibly have escaped hearing the news – not if you have watched TV, read the papers, or logged onto Facebook in the past month – that Bangladesh broke the record for the world’s largest human flag. The “Officially Amazing” certificate arrived from Guinness on Thursday, signed and sealed.
But the most remarkable feat is that the whole grand affair was put together in just over a week – nine days of unceasing work and unflappable determination.
Organiser Robi Axiata, in partnership with the army, accomplished much more than just mustering 31,000 volunteers in the middle of a blockade, a feat in itself. They also unveiled an original patriotic song, the rousing “Raise One Flag” sung by Sabina Yasmin and Ayub Bacchu, along with a music video recorded a mere two days before. Immediately after the flag formation, they staged a music concert featuring 16 Bangladeshi superstars including Sabina and Ayub.
It was the most watched live event in Bangladeshi television history.
Many were moved by the event. Some cynics brushed it off as a marketing ploy. Yet no one could deny it was an uplifting Victory Day moment, coming as it did amid months of bloody hartals and divisive political strife. Citizens were anxious about what the usually celebratory day would bring this year. The mood became somber still when the government cancelled the annual Victory Day parade.
But that also meant the coveted Army Parade Ground was available, and on the only day in December that the warring factions were certain to keep the peace.
The country needed a single cause to rally around, and Robi knew it.
It was officially recognised as a national event, but the organiser insisted on keeping it apolitical.
The event reflected their brand motto: “When we unite, Bangladesh shines.”
Robi’s almost superhuman efforts were doubtless driven by the knowledge that they might never again get such a golden opportunity to win hearts all over Bangladesh.
“After a successful campaign, people usually tell me: ‘Well done,” said Toffael Rashid, executive vice president of marketing for Robi, and the leading champion of the project.
“This time people said: ‘Thank you.’”
Near miss
Eleven days before the event, they had all but decided to call it off.
Back in August, when Zahed Hossain proposed this idea, the company loved it and agreed to back it.
Zahed, Robi’s vice president of market operations buying, is that rare combination of financial wizard and creative marketing genius. At his previous job at Airtel, he was the brains behind several hugely successful campaigns, like when Manik Mia Avenue was painted with traditional alpana for Pohela Boishak.
He went searching for a world record that Bangladesh could break by using its greatest resource: its people. When a Google search yielded the human flag record, held by none other than Pakistan, he knew he had struck gold. Everyone who heard his one-line pitch, inside and outside the company, immediately wanted to be involved.
But logistically, it was a no-go. They could not get a venue in December to accommodate the massive crowd. More importantly, with the mounting violence on the streets, the potential risk to the safety of their volunteers, predominantly school children, left them queasy.
Everything changed ten days before the event, when they managed to get an audience with the army. Brigadier General Md Abedin was a believer as soon as he heard the idea.
Zahed related: “He listened to our concerns and simply said: ‘We’ll help you.’
Abedin agreed to partner with them right then and there. And, like a guardian angel, he swiftly solved their three main problems. Venue? Check. Security? Covered. Participants? He told them they could bring students from the local cantonment schools to stand alongside the children from civilian schools.
Beating the clock
Once the stars had aligned in their favor, the team had not a minute to lose.
“Delivering the event in nine days was a bigger achievement than breaking the world record, honestly. I doubt many other countries could do it,” said Toffael Rashid.
Why was Bangladesh able pull it off? Toffael replies without missing a beat: “Because of the resourcefulness and hardworking nature of our people, and their patriotism.”
Nowhere was that better reflected than Robi’s own team, who worked 20-hour days to make their ambitious plans a reality.
“People used every last contact, sweated their blackbooks to the last degree, and called in every favour they had,” Toffael said.
Why? I asked. He said: “I think they knew being a part of this was an experience they would never forget.”
Zahed insists that Toffael was the rock of the team. “He believed in this project. He believed in all of us. Without him, we never could have done it. It was a world-class team effort.”
“The event had a personal significance for everyone who participated,” Toffael said. For him, it was a way of connecting with his late father, Md Abdur Rashid, a former diplomat who was with the Pakistan High Commission in London until 1970, then resigned to raise funds in support of the Liberation War.
The formation of the flag took a few attempts, building suspense and anticipation in the crowd. When at last all 27,117 volunteers managed to hold their pieces steady for the full five minutes required by Guiness regulations, it was a dramatic moment.
“People were crying,” Zahed said. “Our team. The kids holding up their pieces of the flag. I don’t know if it was the theme song, love for the motherland, or the inspiring speech the MC made, but it was emotional.” The reserved Zahed admits, when I press him: “Yes. I cried too.” Toffael considers this “easily the greatest achievement of my career.” That career has included orchestrating massive campaigns all over the world, and winning a Cannes Lion, known as the Oscar of advertising.
He believes this campaign has all the hallmarks of another Cannes Lion winner. This is an honour Bangladesh has never achieved before. So perhaps we have another record-setting accomplishment to look forward to this summer.