United News of Bangladesh

Bangladeshi International Master Abu Sufian Shakil earned 1.5 points after the 2nd round match of the 1st Mayor's Trophy Indore International Grandmasters Chess Tournament in Madhya Pradesh, India on Sunday. Bangladeshi GM Enamul Hossain Razib scored one point, CM Sakline Mostafa Sajid scored 0.5 point while CM Ikramul Haq Siam yet to open the account after the day's 2nd round. In the 2nd round matches IM Abu Sufian Shakil drew with Indian GM Deepan Chakraborty, GM Enamul Hussain Razib drew with India's Nithin Babu, CM Sakline Mostafa Sajid drew with GM Mirzoeb Azer of Azerbaijan and CM Ikramul Haq Siam lost to Arush in Chitre of India.

The quarterfinals of the Federation Cup Football begins on Tuesday (April 4) with league champions Bashundhara Kings taking on Muktijoddha Sangsad KC in the first quarterfinal on the day at 3:15 pm at the Bir Shrestha Fl Lt Matiur Stadium in Munshiganj. Dhaka Abahani Limited will face Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the 2nd quarterfinal on April 11, also at 3:15 pm at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj. Dhaka Mohammedan SC will encounter Chittagong Abahani Ltd in the 3rd quarterfinal on April 18 at 3:15 pm at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla. In the 4th and last quarterfinal, Sheikh Russel KC will play Rahmatganj MFS on May 2 at 3:15 pm at Bir Shrestha Fl Lt Matiur Stadium in Munshiganj. The first semifinal will be held on May 9 at 3:15 pm at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj while the 2nd semifinal scheduled for May 16, also at 3:15 pm at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla. The final match between two winning semifinalists billed for May 30 at 3:15 pm at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla while the 3rd- place deciding match between two losing semifinalists will be held on May 23 at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj.  

Bangladeshi Candidate Master (CM) Ikramul Haq Siam finished 54th in the 20th Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament 2023, securing 7.5 points after the 10th and last round matches held in the Indian capital New Delhi Thursday. Another Bangladeshi CM Saqlain Mostafa Sajid finished 110th with 7 points. Aayan Rahman finished 280th with 6 points and Ashiya Sultana 846th with 3.5 points. In today's matches, CM Siam drew with India's Agnibo Chakraborty, CM Sajid lost to Azerbaijan's GM Mirzoeb Azer, Aiyan lost to India's Arshpreet Singh, and Ashiya lost to Dhruv Sehgal of India. A total of 1,072 players, including 19 grandmasters and 10 international masters from 17 countries, joined the event.  

The four-team Independence Day Rugby (Rugby Seven-Men's) Tournament' 2023, organized by Bangladesh Rugby Union, will be held on Friday at the Outer Stadium in Paltan maidan of the capital. Four teams, split into two groups, will participate in the daylong meet. Participating teams are: Group A - Gulshan Niketan Club, Munshibari Rugby Club Group B - Luxmibazar Rugby Club and Victoria Sporting Club. Munshibari Rugby Club will play Gulshan Niketan Club at 9:30 am on Friday while Luxmibazar Rugby Club will encounter Victoria SC at 9:45 am on the same day. Winners of the two matches will play in the final, also on Friday at 10:20 pm at the same venue.       General Secretary of Bangladesh Rugby Union Mousum Ali will present in both the inaugural and closing function of the meet.  

The prizes of the Walton First Division Women's Chess League, organized by Bangladesh Chess Federation, was distributed at a function at the Bangladesh Chess Federation Hall-Room here on Wednesday. FM Iqbal Bin Anower (Dawn), Senior Executive Director of the league sponsor Walton Hi-Tech Industries was the chief guest at the day's prize distribution ceremony and handed over the prizes.Masudur Rahman Mallik Dipu, Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation was also present as special guest. Anjuman Ara Aksir, EC member of Bangladesh Chess Federation and Chairman of the Women's Chess Committee, presided over the function. Bangladesh Police emerged unbeaten champions in this year's first division women's chess league securing 14 points from seven matches beating holders Bangladesh Navy by 2.5-1.5 game points in the 7th and last round match on Tuesday. Last times champions Bangladesh Navy finished runners-up while Shahin Chess Club became third. The champion Bangladesh Police received a prize money of Taka 25,000, the runners-up Bangladesh Navy received Taka 15,000 and the 3rd ranked Shahin Chess Club received Tk 10,000 alongside trophies and medals. Board award winners of the league are: 1st Board-Wadifa Ahmed (Bangladesh Navy), 2nd Board-WCM Ahmed Walijah (Bangladesh Navy), 3rd Board- WGM Srija Seshadri (Bangladesh Police), 4th Board-Kazi Zarin Tasnim (Bangladesh Navy), Additional Board 1- WGM Velavan Varshini (Bangladesh Police) and Additional Board 2- Jannatul Preety (Shahin Chess Club). Eight teams participated in this year's First Division Women's Chess League in round robin league system.

Lowly ranked Seychelles stunned hosts Bangladesh beating them by 1-0 goal in the 2nd and last match of the two-match FIFA Tier-1 International Football Series 2023 on Tuesday (March 28) at the Sylhet District Stadium. With the day's feat, Seychelles and Bangladesh shared the two-match international series 1-1   After a barren first half, Michael scored the match winning goal for the tiny East African nation Seychelles in the 62nd minute of the match from a penalty silencing the local crowd. T-Sports telecast the match live from Sylhet Stadium like the first match. This was the first defeat for Bangladesh in their 3rd meeting with Seychelles and their 8th defeat in the 10th international matches under the Spanish head coach Javier Fernandez Cabrera.  Hosts Bangladesh, which started the day's match with 1-0 lead beating Seychelles by 1-0 goal in the first match, today tried their best against a physically  superior African nation. Finland-born Bangladeshi defender of the league champions Bashundhara Kings Tariq Raihan Kazi  scored the match-winner with his first-ever goal for Bangladesh in the match of the series on Saturday. Earlier, the lone match between Bangladesh (FIFA ranking 192) and Seychelles (FIFA ranking 199) ended in a 1-1  draw in the four-nation football tournament in Sri Lanka in 2021 With the day's dismal performances, Bangladesh team again proved their limitation in international football despite making an week long training camp in the Saudi Arabian holy city of Madina ahead of the series  Spanish head coach of Bangladesh team Javier Fernandez Cabrera ,who did not include captain Jamal Bhutan in the first eleven, later fielded five substitute players in the match including Jamal Bhuyan but failed to change the fate of the match. Defender Alamgir Mollah made his international debut for Bangladesh in the day's match replacing injured defender Remon Hossain.  Nigerian born new Bangladeshi citizen Eleta Kingskey also entered the field in the 2nd half,  but again he spoiled two good chances. Hosts Bangladesh, which made a good start in the two-match series beating Seychelles national team by 1-0  goal in a hard-fought first match, now  Bangladesh needed just a draw in the match to win the series, but they concede 0-1 goal defeat to share the series trophy.  

Defending champion Bangladesh Navy and runners-up Bangladesh Police dominated the Walton First Division Women’s Chess League'2023 jointly securing eight points each after the 4th round matches held at the Bangladesh Chess Federation Hall-Room here on Saturday. In the day's 4th round, Bangladesh Navy beat Shahin Chess Club by 4-0 game points. Wadfa Ahmed, WCM Ahmed Walijah, WFM Noshin Anjum and Warsia Khusbu of Bangladesh Navy won against Afrin Jahan Munia, Neelava Choudhury, Sabikun Nahar Tonima and Jannatul Preety of Shahin Chess Club respectively. Bangladesh Police beat Sheikh Russel Chess Club also by 4-0 game points. WCM Jannatul Ferdous, Indian WGM Srija Seshadri, WFM Tanima Parveen and Indian WGM Velavan Varshini of Bangladesh Police won against Nazia Jafrin Mohona, Jarin Tasnim, Inaaya Zaman Khan & Fatiha Eyenoon Diya of Sheikh Russel Chess Club respectively. Basir Memorial Chess Academy beat Team Barisal by 3-1 game points. Rashma Alam, Monika Kundu & Sayeda Nusaibah Mahmud of Basir Memorial Chess Academy won against Sidratul Muntaha, Tahira Amani and Ramisa Sayeara Mumina of Team Barisal respectively. Sonia Akhter of Team Barisal won against Sanjeedah Khanam Mitul of Basir Memorial Chess Academy. Uttara Central Chess Club drew with Basir Memorial Chess Club by 2-2 game points. Essaba Manun and Fariha Sumona of Uttara Central Chess Club won against Sharmin Khan and Fahmida Afroz of Basir of Memorial Chess Club respectively. Kaumudi Nargis and Mahjabbeen Islam of Basir Memorial Chess Club won against Nazmin Khan and Warisa Haider of Uttara Central Chess Club respectively. The 5th round matches will be held on Sunday from 11 am. 5th round matches are: Uttara Central Chess Club Vs. Basir Memorial Chess Academy, Shahin Chess Club Vs. Basir Memorial Chess Club, Sheikh Russel Chess Club Vs. Bangladesh Navy, Team Barisal Vs. Bangladesh Police.    

On his birthday, one of the best cricketers in the world, Shakib Al Hasan, announced the launch of the Shakib Al Hasan Cancer Foundation on Friday in Dhaka. The foundation aims to support the treatment of underprivileged cancer patients in Bangladesh. Shakib's ultimate goal is to build a world-class cancer hospital in the country, as he believes that early diagnosis is crucial for better treatment and survival. “Cancer is often referred to as a deadly disease, but succumbing to fear won't help us overcome it,” Shakib said during the launching ceremony. “The foundation is dedicated to helping those who cannot afford costly cancer treatments or diagnoses.” The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the President of the Pharmaceutical Industry Association, Nazmul Hasan Papon, have pledged to support the foundation. Shakib's previous foundation, The Shakib Al Foundation, has done commendable work during the peak of the Covid-19 crisis in Bangladesh.  

The Walton First Division Women's Chess League 2023, organised by the Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF), began Wednesday in the capital. Eight teams are taking part in this year's competition. In the first round at the BCF hall room today, holders Bangladesh Navy, runners-up Bangladesh Police, Shahin Chess Club and Uttara Central Chess Club won their matches. Navy beat Basir Memorial Chess Academy by 4-0 points. Wadfa Ahmed, WCM Ahmed Walijah, Kazi Zarin Tasnim and Warsia Khusbu of Navy won against Rashma Alam, Sanjeedah Khanam Mitul, Monika Kundu and Dibbayangana Biswas of Basir Memorial Chess Academy. Police beat Basir Memorial Chess Club by 4-0 points; Shahin Chess Club beat Sheikh Russel Chess Club by 4-0 points. Uttara Central Chess Club beat Team Barisal by 2.5-1.5 points. The second round matches will begin Thursday at 3pm. Basir Memorial Chess Academy will play Sheikh Russel Chess Club, Barisal will face Shahin Chess Club, Police will play Uttara Central Chess Club, and Navy will face Basir Memorial Chess Club. The champions will receive a prize of Tk25,000.00, runners-up Tk15,000.00, and second runners-up Tk10,000.  

Tuesday’s (March 21, 2023) professional boxing ‘Fight Night’ at InterContinental Dhaka had everything – from Bangladeshi-origin UK boxer Ruqsana Begum’s debut win against Tanjila in a 10-round thriller to Sura Krishna Chakma’s nerve-wracking second-round knockout punch against Thai boxer Ponlawat Nanchinda. With her debut win, Ruqsana also secured the WBU Female Intercontinental Championship Belt, marking the first time female boxers competed for a championship belt in Bangladesh. During the 10-round thriller, Ruqsana’s professional boxing experience faced off against Tanjila’s aggressive fighting. However, it was Ruqsana — a former kickboxing world champion — who pulled-off the narrow win in the flyweight category. The professional boxing event was organized by Xcel Sports Management and Promotions. Also Read: 'Beximco XBC Fight Night' on March 21 A total of 14 participants from Bangladesh, England, France, India, and Thailand competed in the ring across seven different categories, including featherweight, light heavyweight, bantamweight, cruiserweight, flyweight, and welterweight. In the lightweight category, Bangladeshi professional boxer Sura Krishna Chakma came head-to-head against Thailand’s Ponlawat Nanchinda.