Anisur Rahman

Bangladesh’s underwhelming performance in their 1-0 defeat to Malaysia in the opening match of the Tri-Nation Series, also involving Azerbaijan, has raised a serious concern -- whether the poor display stemmed from on-field lapses or from issues unfolding off the pitch.

Allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct recently made by former Bangladesh women's team captain Jahanara Alam against team management and support staff has sparked a countrywide uproar. The issue has once again put the spotlight on women's safety in sports -- something often overlooked in this country in spite similar allegations surfacing across disciplines in the past.

In an interview with The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman, Fahad reflected on his World Cup lessons and the road to GM title and more.

Having secured a hattrick of titles at the National Women's Chess Championship, Woman's FIDE Master (WFM) Noshin Anjum has announced her intention to compete in the Open section from the next edition, aiming to challenge male opponents rather than continuing in the women's championship.

"We will now focus fully on the South Asian Games... and need to nurture this group of young players to make quick decisions during matches, which can only grow through playing a lot of international games."