DHAKA – Joytu Sheikh Hasina International Online Chess tournament formally inaugurated today at the Canadian University Auditorium in the city.
The prestigious tournament is being held in the name of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of her 74th birthday celebration.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF) president and also president of South Asian Chess Federation Benazir Ahmed formally inaugurated the three-day meet as the chief guest this afternoon.
Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, chairman of Canadian University and vice president of Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF), Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Shafiqul Islam and BCF vice president Abu Sayed Chowdhury were present as the special guests.
A total of seventy four chess players – 49 players from Bangladesh and 25 players from fourteen countries are taking part in the tournament, sponsored by Canadian University of Bangladesh and organised by South Asian Chess Council in association with Golden Sporting Club.
The participating countries, Russia, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, The Maldives and host Bangladesh.
The total prize money of the tournament is U$$ 6,000.
A total of seventeen grandmasters are participating in the tournament. They are GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly, GM Vishnu Prasannna, GM Diptayan Ghosh, GM S. L. Narayanan, GM R. Laxman, GM Himanshu Sharma and GM D Gukesh of India, GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong of Vietnam, GM Ziaur Rahman, GM Reefat Bin Sattar, GM Enamul Hossain Razib of Bangladesh, GM Serkey Volkov of Russia, GM Megaranto Susanto of Indonesia, GM Antonio Rogelio and GM John Paul Gomes of Philippines, GM M Amin Tabatabaei of Iran and GM Villamayor Buenaventura of Singapore.
Meanwhile, the International Masters are IM Mohammad Fahad Rahman, IM Mohammad Minhazuddin, IM Abu Sufian Shakil of Bangladesh, IM Priasmoro Novendra of Indonesia. IM Mohammad Nubaishah Shaik of India. WIM Rani Hamid, WIM Sharmin Sultana Shirin, FM Md Taibur Rahman, FM Khandaker Aminul Islam, FM Sheikh Nasir Ahmed, FM Mehdi Hasan Parag, FM Subrota Biswas, FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman, FM Mohammed Abdul Malek and FM Mohammad Javed.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russell MP is expected to present in the prize distribution ceremony of the tournament scheduled to be held on September 27 at Hotel La Meridian at 11 am.
Asian Chess Federation president Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nehyan will virtually present in the prize distribution ceremony as the special guest along with Canadian University Chairman Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, who will also present as the special guest in the prize distribution ceremony.
BCF president Benazir Ahmed will preside over the prize distribution ceremony of the tournament.BSS
