'This is a protest against the Israeli government'

Grandmaster Enamul Hossain Razib boycotted Bangladesh's Chess Olympiad game against Israel yesterday in protest of Israel's continued attacks on Gaza and the occupied territories of Palestine and over what he felt is the double standards maintained by FIDE, the world governing body of chess.

Razib, the youngest of the five Bangladeshi GMs till date, made the declaration through a Facebook post on Friday night after he was named by the Bangladesh contingent as one of four competitors in the 10th and final round of the open section, the draw for which had taken place a short while earlier.

"Russia and Belarus did not get to participate as a team in the 2024 Hungary Chess Olympiad and the 2022 Chennai Chess Olympiad. Then how can Israel participate in the current situation? Tomorrow we have a game against them. I am boycotting," read Razib's Facebook post, accompanied by hashtags #BoycottIsrael and #StandWithJustice.

The Bangladesh men's team, who were in the 75th position after the ninth round, were eventually left with three competitors -- IM Fahad Rahman, FM Manon Reza Neer and FM Tahsin Tajwar Zia, with GM Niaz Murshed – the other player in the contingent – rested for the round.

There is widespread resentment in Bangladesh, who do not have any diplomatic ties with the State of Israel, as well as across the Muslim world regarding the Israeli policy following the Hamas attacks on a concert in Israel on October 7 last year. The Israeli retaliation has since claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people in Gaza and occupied territories.

Although athletes and teams from the Muslim world have sporadically boycotted matches against Israeli athletes in various international sporting platforms for decades, this is a unique case for Bangladesh, who hardly ever get to play against Israeli teams in international events.

Speaking with The Daily Star yesterday, Razib explained his reasoning behind the stance.

"I have nothing against the Israeli people. They are nice people and I can play against them individually," Razib said over the phone from Budapest, where the 45th edition of the chess Olympiad is taking place.

"I'm, however, against the Israeli government and the atrocities it is carrying out against Palestinians. So I don't want to play against an Israeli team under current circumstances," the 44-year-old Grandmaster said.

Razib said that he has often played against Israeli opponents and that Bangladesh, too, had faced Israel in a Chess Olympiad game back in 1996. But it is the current context and the double standard of FIDE that he is protesting.

"FIDE has prohibited Russia and Belarus from playing under their flag since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. Russians and Belarusians are only allowed to play as part of FIDE team. Then why will FIDE allow Israel to play as a team when they are occupying Palestine and unleashing terror on the Palestinians?" questioned Razib.

When contacted, Bangladesh Chess Federation's general secretary Shahabuddin Shamim said they tried to convince Razib to reconsider his decision, but to no avail.

Razib said he was aware of the possible consequences of his walkover, however, he felt it was a moral stand he had to take.

"I have risked my career protesting against the state of chess in Bangladesh when I was at the peak of my game. So I won't step back from protesting against something I feel so strongly about," Razib opined. "I am aware that there may be consequences from FIDE over my actions, but I am willing to accept that."