Hefty promises by new chess fed GS

After being elected the new general secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF), Syed Shahabuddin Shamim has promised to do everything they need to do to produce new Grand Masters and International Masters in the next four years.

"Two players [Sagor and Shakil] are already in pipeline to become GMs. We will organise two GM tournaments to give them opportunities to earn their norms. Besides, we will also organise IM tournaments to give opportunities for FIDE masters and send them abroad to gain IM norms," said Shahabuddin after his panel won all posts -- four vice presidents, two joint secretaries, a treasurer and 16 executive member in the one-sided election, which the opposition panel boycotted citing irregularities in voters' list.

Shamim was a vice-president of the BCF's last committee, which failed to organise any GM and IM tournament despite having delivered pledges. The committee also failed to revive the school tournament, which was considered a big failure of the previous committee. 

"I admitted failure of the previous committee, but it was due to financial constraints and due to some executive committee members hindering development work. But this time I promise that we will rectify our mistakes and take proper steps to take the game forward. This time there are a few sponsors who have been elected as members, so we will not face any financial problem," Shamim said, adding that his first job will be to arrange a training camp for the national men's and women's teams under a Super Grand Master as preparation for September's World Chess Olympiad.

The organiser from Chittagong said that they would also help district chess associations financially to organise district leagues regularly.

Other office bearers of BCF are: KM Shafiqullah, Tarafdar Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Gazi Shaiyful Tareq, Chowdury Nafiz Sharafa (vice presidents), Moniruzzaman Palash and Masudur Rahman Mallik (joint secretaries), Mahir Ali Khan (treasurer) and Kamruzzaman Bhuiyan, Mehdi Hasan, Nizamul Islam, Liakat Ali, Jakerul Mawla, Bahar Uddin, Rashed Hossain, Belal Hossain, Debashish Dey, Anjuman Ara Aksir, Rafiqul Islam, Jakir Ahmed, Alauddin Saju, Nazam Nakvi, Monirul Islam and Monirul Islam (members).