Fans poured into the streets of Dhaka early Monday to celebrate the Bangladesh national cricket team's first-ever qualification for the second round of the World Cup, police and witnesses said.

Police said at least 1,000 people joined an impromptu party in the heart of the city, defying the interim government's ban on all marches and processions, but witnesses put the figure at several thousand.

"They were waving flags and shouting all sorts of slogans," said policeman Nizam Ahmed, describing the scene on the campus of Dhaka University.

Minnows Bangladesh, playing only their third World Cup, advanced to the Super Eights by beating debutants Bermuda by seven wickets in a rain-curtailed match in Trinidad.

Fans screamed "Bangladesh! Bangladesh!" as they watched middle order batsman Saqibul Hasan take the winning run, witnesses said.

"It's a great day for our cricket. Our boys have showed the world what they can do. They are the real tigers," said Hamidur Rahman, a student at Dhaka University.

"It's a huge boost for our cricket. And it came on our Independence Day," said another student, Fazlul Haq.

The South Asian nation, formerly known as East Pakistan, is to celebrate its independence from Pakistan on Monday.

Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January, when the country's president cancelled elections and stepped down as the head of the interim government after months of political turmoil.

A new military-backed government took over and imposed the ban on processions, meetings, marches and rallies as part of the emergency measures.

Millions of Bangladeshis stayed up into the wee hours Monday to watch the match broadcast live from the Caribbean.

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)