Bangladesh National Chess team will leave Dhaka for Chennai on Wednesday (July 27) to participate in the 44th World Chess Olympiad to be held in Mahabalipuram in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, from July 29 to August 9.

A record number of 162 teams from 157 countries will participate in this year's Chess Olympiad while a  record number of 188 teams from 183 countries will compete in three other categories --Braille, Silence and Physically Disabled.

Read: 2nd Div Chess: Eight teams sharing top slot

Members of Bangladesh Chess Team in 44th World Chess Olympiad are : KM Shahidullah (Vice President, Bangladesh Chess Federation and Delegate to Congress): Syed Shahabuddin Shamim (General Secretary, Bangladesh Chess Federation, Head of Delegation), Dr. Shoaib Riaz Alam (Joint Secretary, Bangladesh Chess Federation),  Zakir Ahmed, Noor Alam  (Bangladesh Chess Federation),  Haroon Or Rashid ( Match Arbiter and International Referee), Open Division Men's teams: Captain -FIDE Instructor Masudur Rahman Mallick. players: Grandmaster Enamul Hossain Rajib (Rating-2377), Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman (Rating-2424), Grandmaster Niaz Murshed (Rating-2413), FIDE Master Mehdi Hasan Parag (Rating-2227) and FIDE Master Tahsin Tajwar Zia (Rating-2307), Women's Team: Captain: National Instructor Mahmuda Haque Chowdhury Moly,  players: Woman Candidate Master Jannatul Ferdous (Rating-1815), Woman FIDE Master Shamima Sharmin Shireen (Rating-1995), Woman Master Najrana Khan Eva (Rating-1829) and Woman FIDE Master Noshin Anjum (Rating-2027) and Umme Taslima Prativa Talukdar (Rating-1769).

Grand Master Niaz Murshed has already reached Chennai.