Bangladesh's status as hosts for the Asian Nations Chess Cup is now uncertain as the tournament regulations were not approved by the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and sponsors seem to lack the desire to fund the expensive 12-day competition.

Last December, the Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF) earned the right to host the Asian Nations Chess Cup, from July 15 to 27 in Dhaka, for the first time in 33 years. The country last staged the ACF-sanctioned event, which was an Asian Women's Chess Championship, in 1985.

Bangladesh did however host small scale ACF-sanctioned tournaments, such as the Asian Zonal 3.1 Qualifiers in 2003 and 2007, while the last BCF organised competition was a GM tournament in 2009.

Although the BCF won the bid to host the mega Asian chess event last year, the game's local governing body has virtually taken no initiative to ensure that the tournament takes place. In addition, the BCF officials reportedly tried to shift the event to after the Bangladesh parliamentary elections are completed next year.

ACF general secretary Hisham Al Taher did suggest though that the venue should be shifted to Cox's Bazar in a bid to reduce costs. Hisham also proposed that the participants should bear expenses such as accommodation, food and transportation, rather than the host nation.

Hisham, who visited Dhaka in April, also promised that the ACF will provide the financial aid worth US$ 25,000 to the BCF to help meet the expenditures, which are estimated at Tk one crore.

Inspired by these recommendations, the BCF sent the tournament regulations to the ACF but have yet to receive final approval and therefore cannot send out the official invitations to participating nations, who had earlier been told that the hosts would bear the expenses.

BCF vice president KM Shahidullah did not inform of any possible progress made on the matter so far but said that the date for the tournament has not been finalised and that he would update reporters when BCF general secretary Syed Shahbuddin Shamim returns from India.

However another BCF official, seeking anonymity, said that the possibility to host the Asian Nations Chess Cup seems bleak as the BCF have not received approval for the tournament regulations with only a-month-and-a-half left till the scheduled date and as sponsors have not confirmed funding either.

"Initially some top Asian nations such as China, India, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Iran unofficially confirmed their participation but we don't know whether they will officially accept the invitations after seeing the new regulation in which they will have to bear all of their own costs," said the BCF source yesterday.

It is expected though that some nations will participate in the Asian Nations Chess Cup as a part of their preparations for the 43rd Chess Olympiad to be held in Georgia from September 23 to October 7 but the turnout may still be very low as the event is also considered as a qualifier for the 10-nation World Team Chess Championship.