Chess in Bangladesh

The plain of Ganges is the birthplace of chess. As Bangladesh belongs to this plain, the history of chess in this region is very old. A description of a game of chess could be found in the earliest specimen of Bengali literature called carya-padas (collection of lyrical poems composed by the Buddhist monks between 8th to 10th centuries AD.). Chess has been addressed as the name of ‘Naubal’ here. Here is a portion of such lyric poem:

If we translate it into prosaic English, it will be:

Sitting for a game of chess,
(I) won the game in the blessing of my Guru.
I moved my king,
“Kanu, Look Jinpur for move advice,”
First I took the Pawns,
My Bishop took five of them.
My Queen attacked the King,
And (I) won the game by paralyzing it.
Kanu said, “I always make good moves
By counting the sixty-four squares”

In the period of Moghal Empire, chess competition was mainly centered round the courts of the kings and the emperor. In the period of British Empire, Chess in the undivided Bengal mainly centered round Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta), the capital of West Bengal. There grew up many chess clubs and societies there and they regularly arranged chess tournaments. There was hardly any chess tournament arranged in the East Bengal (currently Bangladesh). So players of this region had to go to Kolkata to take part in any competition. In one such tournament, arranged by the Nawab Wazed Ali Khan in the late 19th century, a young player Abdul Hamid Chowdhury from East Bengal took part and became champion. The Nawab was so impressed by the chess skill of the young man that he bestowed a title of “Maulana Sataranj” (“Lord of Chess”) on him.

After 1947, the Indian subcontinent won freedom from the British Empire and became divided into two separate countries – Pakistan and India. Chess was a very popular game in East Pakistan (currently Bangladesh, which was then a part of Pakistan). In the undivided Pakistan, in a true sense, there was no governing body to lead chess in a proper way. In 1961 ‘East Pakistan Daba Sangha’ was established under the initiative of Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain(1897-1981), a mathematics professor of Dhaka
University . It was also under his initiative along with Sayd Zahid Mansur, the ‘All Pakistan Chess Federation’ was established in 1970. Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain was its founder-president.

An unofficial chess championship began in the East Pakistan from 1947. Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain was its champion till 1961. After the establishment of ‘East Pakistan Daba Sangha’ in 1961, the task of organizing chess championship was conferred upon it. In the same year, the first East Pakistan Chess Championship began. Again, Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain came out as its champion and he kept the title untill 1962. In 1962 Qazi Muhammad Sakur defeated Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain and became the new champion of the East Pakistan. He kept the title till 1970.

After the independence of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Chess Federation was established in 1974. Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain was its founder-president. Due to his contribution in various fields of knowledge, Bangladesh government conferred the title of “National Professor” on him. He was also known as the “Daba Guru” (“Daba” is the Bengali word for “chess”) to the people of Bangladesh. The Federation has been arranging the Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain International Masters Chess Tournament since 1985 in his honour. Bangladesh became the member of FIDE in 1979.

Among other proficient chess-players of the earlier period were Professor Abdur Razzaque, Akmal Hossain, and Mian Abdus Salek. National chess competition of Bangladesh has been arranged yearly since 1974. Niaz Murshed became champion in four consecutive years from 1979 to 1982. A national women's chess competition has been arranged annually since 1979, in which the only woman Master of Bangladesh, Rani Hamid, became champion 12 times. In 1986, Niaz Murshed wins his second norm in a Grand Masters tournament, in which 17 countries of the Asian Zone 3.1 participated. This made him the first Grandmaster of Bangladesh and Indian subcontinent. Ziaur Rahman became the second Grandmaster of the country in 2001.

Bangladesh Chess Federation has become a member of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1979. Every year it arranges some 15 to 20 tournaments at the national and international levels. These tournaments include National Men and omen's Junior, Sub-junior, First Division, Second Division, International Master's and Grand Master's Chess Tournaments. About 26 local clubs are registered in the First Division. The Second Division comprises some 30 to 35 clubs. In the National Championship, a national B Group is formed with district champions and 16 persons from different corporations and cities. 14 of them are chosen through competitions and they appear in the National Championship competition.