Having entertained the Dhaka crowd during a three-day visit, Zinedine Zidane left yesterday night for France with love of the common people and those who came close to him.

The over enthusiasm and the gathering around the soccer legend from the moment of his arrival on Monday night, however, exhausted him so much that he had to cancel two scheduled press meets and confined himself to the haven of his suite at the Hotel Sonargaon.

Zidane, whose main purpose to visit Bangladesh was to inaugurate a food plant of Grameen Danone Foods in invitation of Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Muhammad Yunus, signed a plaque at the Sonargaon Hotel yesterday morning and later called on President and Chief Adviser Prof Iajuddin Ahmed at the Bangabhaban. Dr Yunus was present on both occasions.

The plaque will be later set at the yoghurt plant in Bogra.

After the opening ceremony, Zidane and Franck Riboud, Chairman and CEO of Danone Foods, formally announced that Bangladesh will take part in the Danone Nations Cup 2006, a football tournament for children of 10-12 years, in France.

The former French international and Golden Ball winner at the 2006 FIFA World Cup is an ambassador of the event. With 32 teams participating, it is the biggest football event for kids and brings children from all over the world together, giving them the chance to believe in their dreams while taking part in their development and helping them to grow. Like the previous three years, Zidane will be present at the final at the Stade Gerland in Lyon.

While paying a courtesy call on Prof Iajuddin Ahmed in the afternoon, the football maestro said that he would love to return to Bangladesh including the United Nations, of which he is a goodwill ambassador, to extend cooperation in different development programmes.

Youth and Sports Ministry advisor CM Shafi Sami was also present.

During the meeting, the President invited one of the greatest footballers of the world as an observer during the next general election, saying that "now there is only one job before us: to make the upcoming general election fair and neutral."

The President and Chief Adviser also hoped that Zidane's visit would help develop the standard of football in the country.

Expressing his gratitude to the President for giving him the opportunity of the courtesy call, thrice FIFA Footballer of the Year Zidane said: "I'm overwhelmed with the warm hospitality given by the people of Bangladesh and I'll come here again if I get the opportunity."