United News of Bangladesh

Prominent businessman Tajwar Mohammad Awal has been elected as the new president of Arambagh Krira Sangha, one of the oldest sports organizations in Bangladesh. Tajwar is the son of Abdul Awal Mintoo, a vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and he is the younger brother of the former vice president of the Bangladesh Football Federation, Tabith Awal. Tajwar was unanimously elected during a special general meeting on Saturday night. The meeting also announced a 10-member partial executive committee for the 2024-25 term, with Md. Yakub Ali as the General Secretary. The full committee will be announced later. The event was attended by notable figures including Abdus Salam, a freedom fighter and central leader of BNP, who was as the chief guest.  

The semifinal berth of Bangladesh from Group A of the six- nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-17 Championship' 2024 has become uncertain after playing 1-1 draw with Islanders Maldives in their last group match at the Changlimithang Stadium in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu on Sunday evening. In the tournament opener last Friday, Bangladesh faced a disappointing 0-1 defeat against their formidable neighbor India, conceding a goal in injury time after putting up a strong fight during the regular 90 minutes. However, the semifinal berth of Bangladesh will now depend on India-Maldives last Group A match scheduled for next Tuesday (September 24). India must defeat the Maldives by at least 2-0 to secure a semifinal berth for Bangladesh. After barren first half in the day's match, Murshed Ali put Bangladesh ahead in the 49th minute by a spectacular shot from top of the box, utilizing a left cross of his team mate (1-0). Maldives captain Mohamed Ilan Imran leveled the margin in the 79th minute by a placing shot beating two opponent defenders and advancing custodian (1-1). The day's match between teams were locked in a goalless position in the first half. Bangladesh dominated the first half all through and did everything except scoring goal. They spoiled half dozens of good chances in the half, most of which were saved by Maldives custodian. In the 2nd half, Bangladesh also maintained their supremacy but failed to take its fruits due to shakiness of their forwards. Moreover, they conceded a goal against the flow on the match. Earlier, Bangladesh put in strong Group A in the SAFF Junior meet with stronger India and the Maldives while Group B team consists of Nepal, Pakistan and hosts Bhutan. Group A champions will play Group B runners up in the first semifinal at 2 pm while Group B champions will face Group A runners up at 6 pm in the other semifinal, both on Sept 28. The final match is scheduled to take place at 6 PM on September 30.

Bangladesh lost the first Test of the India series by 280 runs. In the fourth innings, Ravichandran Ashwin took six wickets and helped India secure a lead in the two-match series. Bangladesh needed to score 515 to win this match. But they only managed 234 runs and lost the match by a big margin. In this match, Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Bangladesh captain, was the only batter to score a fifty for Bangladesh. He made 82 before falling to Ravindra Jadeja. Bangladesh started cautiously in this innings, scoring 60 without losing any wickets. But before posting 100 runs on the board, they lost two. And then, they kept losing wickets regularly. Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan got good starts, but they failed to capitalize on those. Shanto kept one end intact, though, that was not enough for Bangladesh to offer some fightback to India’s quality attack. Bangladesh’s last hope was Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, but they also failed to resist the Indian bowlers with ample runs to score. Ashwin, who scored a hundred in the first innings, also ended the match by taking six wickets. This all-round performance earned the player of the match award. In the first innings of the match, India scored 376. Hasan Mahmud registered the maiden five-for against India for a Bangladeshi bowler. In reply, Bangladesh tumbled for only 149 runs, with Jasprit Bumrah taking four wickets. In the second innings, India scored 287. Rishabh Pant and Shubhman Gill struck a hundred each. With a 227-run lead from the first innings, India’s lead reached 514 runs, a total Bangladesh never scored in the fourth innings of a Test match. After the match, Bangladesh's captain praised his pace attack but said they should have continued the momentum that the pacers brought for them. He also credited Indian batters. “The positive is how Taskin (Ahmed), Hasan bowled in the first 2-3 hours but India batted really well after that,” Shanto said. Indian captain Rohit Sharma applauded his wicketkeeper-batter Pant, who was playing his first Test after coming back from a nasty injury that he sustained during a car drive. “(Pant) has been through some tough times, the way he has managed himself through those tough times has been superb to watch,” Rohit said after the match. Bangladesh will look to bounce back when they take on the hosts in the second Test on Friday. After the two-match Test series, both teams will take on each other in a three-match T20I series.

Michael Olise scored twice and Harry Kane scored his 10th club goal of the season as Bayern Munich brushed aside Werder Bremen 5-0 for its latest big win on Saturday. Bayern has 20 goals in only its last three games after beating Holstein Kiel 6-1 last week and demolishing Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday. It was Bayern's sixth win in six games in all competitions under new coach Vincent Kompany, and comes ahead of playing Bundesliga champion Bayer Leverkusen next week. Bayern has 16 goals and three conceded from its four Bundesliga games. Also on Saturday, Vincenzo Grifo scored twice as Freiburg beat Heidenheim 3-0 for its third win in four league games. Union Berlin won 2-1 against Hoffenheim, which has lost three in a row. Promoted Holstein Kiel earned its first top-division point when Shuto Machino's 89th-minute goal salvaged a 2-2 draw at Bochum. Eintracht Frankfurt hosted Borussia Moenchengladbach later Saturday.

Bangladesh U-20 Football team made a frustrating start in Group A match of the AFC U-20 Asian Cup' 2025 Qualifiers losing to upper ranked Syria by 0-4 goals in one of the two  opening day's match at the Lach Tray Stadium in the Vietnamese city of Hai Phong Saturday evening The SAFF U-20 champions Bangladesh, FIFA ranked 186th,  were trailing by 0-2 goals against FIFA ranked 92nd Syria in the first half of the day's rain delayed 2nd match. Kawa Issa put Syria ahead in the very 5th minute (1-0), Youshaa Knaj doubled the margin in the 12th minute (2-0), Wassam Dukhan scored the 3rd goal in the 72nd minute (3-0)  while Anas Dahhan sealed the fate of the scoring the 4th goal in the 80th minute (4-0) In the day's opening Group A match,  Bhutan played to a one-all draw with Guam at the same venue Saturday afternoon. Earlier, Bangladesh team was placed in five- team Group A of the U-20 Asian Cup with Syria, hosts Vietnam, Bhutan and Guam. In the remaining group matches, Bangladesh will play Guam on Monday (Sept 23), host Vietnam on Friday (Sept 27) and Bhutan on Sunday (Sept 29). Ten Asian group champions along with five best group runners up will qualify for the next round of the AFC U-2O Asian Cup.

Alex Carey slammed 74 off 67 balls in a late cameo to push Australia to 270 all out against England in the second one-day international between the fierce cricket rivals at Headingley on Saturday. Seeking a 14th straight ODI win, the world champion Australians were struggling to get past 200 with captain Mitchell Marsh (60 off 59 balls) the only top-order batter to get a half-century after the tourists were put into bat by England. Travis Head, whose career-best 154 not out powered the Australians to a seven-wicket victory in the first ODI on Thursday, made 29 before being the first of three wickets for fast bowler Brydon Carse (3-75). Steve Smith was out for 4, Marnus Labuschagne for 19 and Glenn Maxwell for 7 as some of Australia's other key players departed cheaply. However, Carey dominated the batting in the tail and provided a late flourish for Australia with three sixes and eight fours to set what could prove to be a testing target for England, which rested fast bowler Jofra Archer and was again without regular captain Jos Buttler. Australia was dismissed with 5.2 overs remaining, with Carey the last man out when holing out in the deep. Australia recalled Maxwell and senior pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood after they sat out in Nottingham because of illness. Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott and Cameron Green came out of the team. Olly Stone replaced Archer in England's only change.

With two days left in the Chennai Test, Bangladesh need 357 runs to win, while India requires just six wickets to secure the first match of the two-game series. At the end of day three, Bangladesh stood at 158 for four, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scoring a fifty. Chasing 515 in the fourth inning, Bangladesh faces an unprecedented challenge, as their highest-ever fourth-innings total is 413. A record-breaking effort will be required to achieve victory. India declared their second innings at 287 for four, with Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill both scoring centuries. Combined with a 227-run lead from the first inning, India set a total target of 514. In India’s first innings, Ravichandran Ashwin hit a century, while Hasan Mahmud claimed five wickets, becoming the first Bangladeshi bowler to achieve a five-wicket haul against India. Bangladesh collapsed to 149 in their first innings, undone by India's pace attack, with Jasprit Bumrah taking four wickets. In their second innings, Bangladesh started cautiously, reaching 62 without losing a wicket. However, as they approached 100 runs, they lost two wickets. Bumrah struck first, dismissing Zakir Hasan, who edged a drive to the gully. Ashwin then claimed the next three wickets. Despite 13 previous attempts, Bangladesh has yet to win a Test against India. However, buoyed by their historic series win against Pakistan, they entered this match aiming to mount a serious challenge.

India set a big target of 515 runs for Bangladesh in the ongoing Chennai Test on Saturday. India declared their second innings on 287 for four, setting up a big target for the visitors that they never scored in the fourth innings of a Test match. Bangladesh’s highest score in the fourth inning is 413. If they want to win this match, they must score their highest-ever total in the fourth inning. India had secured a lead of 227 runs in the first inning and then added 287 runs. In the first inning, Ravindran Ashwin secured a hundred. Rishabh Pant and Shubhman Gill scored a century each for India in the second. Rishabh, the wicketkeeper-batter, played his usual cricket, scoring at a strike rate of over 85. He hit four sixes and 13 fours in his inning. For Bangladesh, Mehidy Hasan Miraz took two wickets. Bangladesh tumbled for 149 in the first inning. They failed to respond well to the Indian pace attack. Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets. Before this series, Bangladesh played 13 Tests against India and failed to win any of those matches. But in the previous series, against Pakistan at their home, Bangladesh won a two-match series by 2-0, which has surely boosted their confidence ahead of the India series. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said they are eager to get some positive results from this tour.

Rani Hamid, a name synonymous with women’s chess in Bangladesh, has a long career marked with triumphs and accolades. Her journey in chess has inspired generations and made her a national icon. With multiple national and international championships, she has proven that societal limitations cannot hold back true talent. This article sheds light on the life, career, and legacy of Rani Hamid, one of the most prominent female chess players in the history of Bangladesh. Early Life and Introduction to Chess Born as Saiyeda Jasimunnesa Khatun on July 14, 1944, in Sylhet, Bangladesh, Rani Hamid's early life was influenced by her father's passion for sports, especially chess. Her father, Saiyed Momtaz Ali, a police officer, often played chess with friends, sparking her interest in the game.  Although her family moved frequently due to her father’s job, her passion for chess remained constant. Rani completed her primary education at Nandankanan Girls’ High School in Chattogram. Despite the restrictions of the time, which limited girls' participation in sports and education, Rani managed to balance both. After completing her education at Eden College, Dhaka, she found an encouraging partner, her husband, Lieutenant Colonel MA Hamid, an athlete and sports organizer. Read More: Top Bangladeshi Golf Players of All Time International Acclaim and Recognition Rani Hamid did not stop at national glory; she also made her mark on the international stage. In 1981, she participated in the first Asian Women’s Chess Championship in Hyderabad, India, where she gained international recognition. She became the first Bangladeshi woman to win the title of Woman International Master (WIM) in 1985. Rani’s success in the international circuit continued when she participated in the British Women’s Chess Championship, winning the title three times (in 1983, 1985, and 1989). Her dominance in this tournament was such that foreign players were eventually barred from competing in the British National Championship. Triumphs and Honors Rani Hamid’s chess career is studded with prestigious titles and awards. Hamid won the national title for six consecutive years from 1979 to 1984, totaling 19 times throughout her career.  She won the Commonwealth Chess Gold Medal in 2017, and the Zonal Championship in 2018. Her contributions to chess were recognized in 1985 when she received the Bangladesh National Sports Award, one of the country’s highest honors in sports. Recognizing her contribution as a renowned Bangladeshi chess player, the Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award in April 2016. In 2018, she was awarded the Journalists' Choice Award during the Chess World Cup in Russia. This accolade was a testament to her enduring prowess and contribution to the sport.  She continues to dominate the women’s chess scene in Bangladesh and has become a symbol of excellence and perseverance.  Read The most famous Bangladeshi female athletes of all time Victory at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest In an inspiring display of resilience and chess mastery, 80-year-old Rani Hamid led the Bangladeshi women’s team to a resounding victory at the 45th Chess Olympiad, held in Budapest, Hungary in 2024. Competing against Barbados, Rani triumphed over her opponent, Springer Leshay, contributing to her team's overwhelming 3.5-0.5 win. Her victory came as part of a stellar team performance, with Women FIDE Masters Noshin Anjum and Wadifa Ahmed also securing wins against their Barbadian counterparts, Wilson Hannah and Reifer-Belle Chanon. Woman Candidate Master Nusrat Jahan Alo drew her match against WCM Blackman Katrina, completing the team’s dominant performance. This victory not only highlighted Rani Hamid’s enduring excellence in chess but also served as a testament to her leadership and ability to inspire younger players. Leading a new generation of Bangladeshi chess talent, she remains a formidable force on the international stage, defying age and expectations with each passing tournament. Read more: Top Bangladeshi Chess Players of All Time Conclusion Rani Hamid’s journey from a curious child watching her father play chess to becoming a national icon is a testament to her talent, determination, and resilience. She not only broke barriers for women in chess; but also brought international recognition to Bangladesh through her achievements.

Bangladesh made a frustrating start in the six- nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-17 Championship' 2024 losing to India by 0-1 goal in the injury time at the Changlimithang Stadium in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu Friday evening. When the crucial match between two sub continental rivals were almost heading for a goalless draw after stipulated 90- minute, then Sumit Sharma scored the match-winner for India in the first minute of the injury time by a header from goal mouth melee, capitalizing a corner kick (1-0) Bangladesh national football team also lost to hosts Bhutan by 0-1 goal after conceding an injury time goal in the similar fashion at the same venue early this month. After conceding the goal in the day's the match, Bangladesh managed a good chance for equaliser from a counter attack in the injury time, but Bangladeshi forward failed to make header from close finding helpless opponent custodian. The match was keenly contested till the final whistle where Bangladesh played better in the first half while India in the 2nd half. Earlier, Bangladesh put in strong Group A in the SAFF Junior meet with stronger India and the Maldives while Group B team consists of Nepal, Pakistan and hosts Bhutan. In the remaining group match, Bangladesh will face the Maldives on Sunday (Sept 22) at the same time and same venue. Group A champions will play Group B runners up in the first semifinal at 2 pm while Group B champions will face Group A runners up at 6 pm in the other semifinal, both on Sept 28. The final match will be held on Sept 30 at 6: pm.