Miss Universe Bangladesh 2020

 In and out of the race

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

There's both good and bad news with the Miss Universe 2020 candidates of late. It was reported that Canada's Nova Stevens finally reunited with her mother, and the rest of her family, after 21 years. Since turmoil threatened the lives of many in Ethiopia before, her mother decided to leave her daughter at the Canadian Embassy for a much better life for her. And which she did! During their reunion, her mother also told her that she suffered for eight years in a camp in South Sudan. With the reunion, it is hoped Nova could now help alleviating her family's dire straits.

Even with Croatia's Mirna Naiia Maric confirmed as one of this year's official candidates, the number of delegates  decreased as one has reportedly withdrawn from the competition. And it is not due to age restrictions because  Miss Unverse Bangladesh 2020 Tangia Zaman Methila shares the same age as Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2020 Estefania Soto and Miss Universe Mauritius 2020 Vandana Jeetah. During her participation in the Miss Supranational pageant in 2019, she told organizers that she was 27. 

In the Facebook page of the Miss Universe Bangladesh organization, they posted that "Due to lockdown and travel restrictions, we could not finalize the preparations. We will not be able to participate in Miss Universe 2020."

If you check the Miss Universe site, Tangia's profile is no longer there. There are still a few who maintain that, perhaps, her profile is temporarily tweaked or fixed in the meantime. Nasty rumors also circulate that the other reason why she moved out of the competition is because of conduct unbecoming. It was related by pageant fans that she once went inside the men's restroom.

Certain states and territories allow shared use of the restroom. In this instance, the rumor said it is not because of entering the toilet for excretory relief but for taking a video of a man inside it. The tale went on to say that she acknowledged the incident on television. If this were true, then, she must have played a prank on someone else. Well, so much for rumors!

Bangladeshi citizens were greatly disappointed with their representative to this year's Miss Universe competition.

On a lighter note, it was announced earlier that actor-TV host Mario Lopez will host the 69th Miss Universe finals with 2012 winner Olivia Culpo.

Stay tuned for more updates in the weeks and days leading to the most beautiful night in the universe.