‘No work, no Grandmaster’

Bangladesh’s first-ever Chess Grandmaster Niaz Murshed believes the lack of work put in the development of the sport has halted the number of Grandmasters in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh currently have five Grandmasters- Niaz, Ziaur Rahman, Reefat Bin Sattar, Mollah Abdullah Al-Rakib, and Enamul Hossain. Niaz received his title in 1987 and was the first in South Asia to do so. The last player to achieve the Grandmaster title from Bangladesh was Enamul in 2008.

Despite Niaz being the first Grandmaster of South Asia, Bangladesh have had very little progress in the last decade, whereas neighbours India have 73.

A stark contrast was available in the recently-concluded Golden Jubilee of Independence Premier Division Chess League and First Division Chess League 2021-22 as there were 10 Indian Grandmasters participating.

Talking to The Business Post, Niaz said that there was no work in the development for chess that could have led to more Grandmaster titles for Bangladesh.

“We have not had a Grandmaster in a long time is a big problem. But you cannot expect a Grandmaster without development work. There was no work for a long time, leading to no new Grandmasters,” Niaz told TBP.

But the recent work done by the Bangladesh Chess Federation is making Niaz hopeful.

“The works have started again. And I am hopeful that we might get new Grandmasters in the future,” he said.

In the Premier Division Chess League, Bangladesh Police claimed their third title on the trot as they finished on 20 points from 11 games. Saif Sporting Club, Niaz’s team, finished second with 18 points, whilst Bangladesh Biman ended third.

Saif Sporting’s Georgian Grandmaster Mikheil Mchedlisvili was left disappointed after finishing second.

“This is my sixth time playing here. Really disappointed to lose the tournament. We lost an unnecessary match in the 2nd round. We expected more, and wanted to be champions,” he said.

In the First Division Chess League, Sultana Kamal Smriti Pathagar won the title with full 22 points from 11 matches.