March 8 was International Women’s Day. The day is celebrated all over the world. The Bangladesh Chess Federation also organized a day-to-day rapid chess competition for the country’s women’s and girl’s chess players on International Women’s Day.
A total of 34 women and girls from across the country participated in the event, including two Women International Masters. The competition was held in the chess federation hall on the third floor of the old building of the National Sports Council. The competition was inaugurated by Anjuman Ara Aksir, the Executive Member of Bangladesh Chess Federation.
WIM Rani Hamid and OI, WCM Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly, the Executive Member of Bangladesh Chess Federation spoke at the inaugural function. The game started immediately after the opening ceremony. Arrangements were made to show the game live on the Bangladesh Chess Federation’s web site and www.followchess.com.
Noshin Anjum (in photo above receiving her prize), the Woman FIDE Master of the Bangladesh Navy, achieved the honor of being the undefeated champion. WFM Noshin won the title with a maximum 7 points in 7 games.
WIM Rani Hamid, of Bangladesh Police, became the runner-up with 6 points total. Mir Chess Club’s WFM Nazrana Khan Eva came third with five points, Janata Bank Officer Welfare Society’s WIM Sharmin Sultana Shirin came fourth, Bangladesh Navy’s Female WCM Ahmed Walijah came fifth and WFM Afroza Khanam Bably came sixth. Nusrat Jahan Alo, WFM Zakia Sultana and Kazi Jarin Tasnim finished 7th, 8th and 9th ninth respectively with four and a half points. WFM Jannatul Ferdous, Wadifa Ahmed and Kishoara Shajrin Evana finished 10th, 11th and 12th respectively in tiebreaking with four points.
Special awards were given to Mushfica Zannat Sawri (Under-16), Israt Jahan Diba (Under-14), Fatiha Eyenoon Diya (Under-12) and Neelava Choudhury (Under-10).
The winners of the competition were given a cash prize of one lakh taka which is equivalent to 1200 US dollars. At the end of the game, IWM Rani Hamid and Executive Member of Bangladesh Chess Federation IO, WCM Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly distributed prizes among the winners.
IA Md Haroon Or Rashid
Chief Arbiter of the event