NIAZ MURSHED

Ziaur Rahman was my first real competitor in chess in Bangladesh. From 1979 to 1996, I was at the top. In 1996, Zia overtook me in the ratings and became the country’s best chess player, a position he held longer than anyone else.

Personally, I used to struggle a lot whenever I played against him, he was excellent. I took a sabbatical from the game in 1996 and after my return, he always gave me a really tough time and I admired him for it.

His dedication towards the game was unparalleled in Bangladesh. No one has played in more chess World Cups than him or won more national championships. He also represented Bangladesh in 17 Chess Olympiads, more than anyone else. His devotion towards chess was I had

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