Dhaka: The GM Zia Memorial chess tournament, honoring the memory of the country’s renowned Grand Master Ziaur Rahman, has commenced at the hall-room of the Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF) today. The tournament was officially inaugurated by Syed Sujauddin Ahmed, president of BCF and former Secretary, who attended as the chief guest.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the opening ceremony was graced by the presence of Aminul Islam NDC, secretary of the National Sports Council, International Woman Master Rani Hamid, and Tasmin Sultana, the wife of GM Zia, as special guests. The event was presided over by Dr. Shoeib Reaz Alam, vice president of BCF and Deputy Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.
A competitive field of 66 players, including four International Masters, one Woman International Master, and twelve FIDE Masters from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, are participating in the tournament. The event is structured in a nine-round Swiss-league format, with a cash prize of five lac taka to be awarded to the winners.