Ziaur Rahman, one of the greatest chess players in Bangladesh’s history, tragically passed away during a chess game about four months ago. His sudden passing left his only son, Tahsin, and wife, Labannya, in a challenging situation. Despite promises of support from the Chess Federation and the sports community, no substantial help has materialized.
In this difficult time, former captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team, Tamim Iqbal, has stepped forward to support Zia’s family. Tamim has provided financial assistance of 500,000 BDT to Zia’s wife and son, and he has also assured them of further help whenever needed.
In a statement to the media, Zia’s wife, Labannya, expressed her gratitude: “Tamim told me to stay in touch in case of any problem. He encouraged my son to keep up both his studies and chess. Tamim told Tahsin, ‘This 500,000 BDT is nothing for your father. Keep going.'”
Impressed by Tamim’s kindness, she added, “He gave a lot of good advice so Tahsin could manage both his studies and chess. Tamim is a wonderful person; I’m deeply moved.”
Apart from Tamim, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also expressed interest in supporting Zia’s family.
