Omicon Group 43rd National 'A' Chess Championship 2017 which is the highest national chess event in Bangladesh has started on November 21st in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh.
Omicon Group a renowned company in Bangladesh is sponsoring the event this year as like previous year. Inauguration Ceremony of the event was held on the 21st of November 2017, Tuesday at Chess Federation hall room on the 2nd floor of National Sports Council old building in Purana Paltan, Dhaka.

Mrs. Dola Hasan Member of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Jubo Mohila League inaugurates the event as chief guest. Engr. Mehedi Hasan, Chairman of Omicon Group was present as special guest. Mr. K M Shahidullah, Vice President of Bangladesh Chess Federation Chairman of Tournament Committee was presided the ceremony. Mr. Gazi Shayiful Tarique Vice President of Bangladesh Chess Federation & Mr. Syed Shahab Uddin Shamim General Secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation gave speeches in the ceremony.

Mr. Moniruzzaman Palash Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation, WCM Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly Managing Director of Elegant International Chess Academy and Chief Arbiter of the event International Arbiter Md Haroon Or Rashid also present in the ceremony. Earlier a press-briefing was also held one day before started the event. Syed Shahab Uddin Shamim, General Secretary of BCF, Mr. K. M. Shahidullah, Chairman of Tournament Committee, Mr. Ehsaan Mahboob General Manager of Omicon Group and Chief Arbiter IA Md Haroon Or Rashid gave speeches in the press-briefing.

Total 14 players including three grandmasters, two International Masters, one Woman International Master, five FIDE Masters and one Candidate Master are participating in the event. They are: reigning champion GM Enamul Hossain (2449), reigning runner-up GM Mollah Abdullah Al Rakib (2455), GM Ziaur Rahman (2485), IM Mohammad Minhaz Uddin (2398), IM Abu Sufian Shakil (2322), WIM Shamima Akter (2172), FM Sk. Nasir Ahmed (2253), FM Mehdi Hasan Parag (2227), FM Kh. Aminul Islam (2222), FM Mohammad Fahad Rahman (2218), FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman (2114) CM Chanchal Kumer Ghosh ((2140), Md. Sharif Hossain (2224), S M Sharon (2177).

Three GM’s got the direct opportunity to participate. Although chess federation gave direct access to GM Niaz Murshed and GM Reefat Bin Sattar but they are not participating for their personal reasons. Eleven players were qualified from the newly completed SAIF POWERTEC 43rd National 'B' Chess Championship 2017. Earlier 142 selected participants from different divisions, districts, organizations, universities, Universities, Dhaka City and 2100+ ratings participated in SAIF POWERTEC National ‘B’ and 11 players qualified from there.
The event is being held in round-robin league system. International Master and Woman Grand Master norms are possible from this event. This event will be possible to achieve the international master and woman grandmaster norms. The games are starting every day at 3:00 PM of local time.

Live games of the event are available at www.bdchessfed.com.

IA Md Haroon Or Rashid
Chief Arbiter
Omicon Group 43rd National 'A' Chess Championship 2017