To mark the 75th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF) is all set to organise a grand tournament titled Joytu Sheikh Hasina International Grand Master Chess Tournament with the participation of 12 GMs from 10 nations.

A total of 60 players including 16 international masters are expected to take part in the 15000-dollar tournament starting from Sunday at Hotel 71 in Palton.The champion will receive 4000 dollars as prize money, speakers informed at a press conference yesterday. 

Canadian University, Bangladesh is sponsoring the tournament for the second time after they sponsored the first edition of online Joytu Sheikh Hasina Chess tournament held last year.

"Our aim was to improve the standard of this tournament named after the Prime Minister. We are determined to hold this tournament every year and will try to keep the standard intact in future," said Chowdhury Nafees Sarafat, chairman of Canadian University, Bangladesh and vice president of the chess federation. 

It is the first time in a decade that the chess federation is organising a grandmasters' tournament. The last time the federation held a GM tournament was in 2009 even though GM Niaz Murshed, under the banner of Six Seasons, held a GM tournament while Chattogram Jella Krira Sangsha (CJKS) held another GM tournament in recent past.     

"It is a big stage for all of us, including those chess players who are in the pipeline. Even if none of our promising players get a GM norm this time, I hope they will get norms in future if the tournament is held regularly," said Murshed, who attended the press conference alongside GM Ziaur Rahman and GM Enamul Hossain Razib.  BCF general secretary Syed Shahab Uddin Shamim was also present at the event.