The chief executive officer of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), Geoffrey Borg, has urged Bangladesh's government and chess federation to take the sport to a new height by investing in schools.

The FIDE official, who arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday for a four-day tour, made this request before the media after having met with the sports minister, sports secretary and other high-ups of the Bangladesh Chess Federation.

Though Bangladesh produced the first Grand Master of the sub-continent, Niaz Murshed, the nation has fallen behind neighbouring India, who boasts nearly 47 Grand Masters as opposed to Bangladesh's five.

"This is an opportunity to evaluate chess in Bangladesh. I have actually been involved in this area and that's why we evaluate where Bangladesh is today. Bangladesh have five Grand Masters and technically they play quite well and have good results.

"Following the meeting with the minister and secretary of the sports ministry, the secretary general of the Bangladesh Olympic Association and the president of the Bangladesh Chess Federation, we all agreed that we should begin long-term training in chess, not only to create new players but to also develop the future citizens of Bangladesh," said Borg, who is also the president of the Malta Chess Federation.

"We need to particularly invest in development of chess at schools. All that's left is to involve the ministry of education, which is also ready to work with us, and to encourage the federation to make the programme solid," Borg continued. "However, we know that this requires a significant investment at the grassroots level."

Borg believes that Bangladesh is technically capable enough to reach a higher level of the sport. He added that there is a wide scope for development as there have been no investment at school level yet and since they will work together with the FIDE.