Bangladesh Junior Science Olympiad Begins with Record-Breaking Regional Rounds
With the aim of inspiring school and college students to take an interest in science, the Bangladesh Junior Science Olympiad (BDJSO) has commenced once again this year. On August 9, Saturday, the regional phase of the 11th Bangladesh Junior Science Olympiad (BDJSO 2025), sponsored by Al-Arafah Islami Bank, began with enthusiastic participation from students of the Khulna and Rajshahi divisions.
On the same day, more than a thousand students from the two divisions took part in separate events in Khulna and Rajshahi. Earlier, on August 6, an online selection round was held, with successful participants advancing to their respective regional Olympiads. The first regional selection rounds of this year’s event featured students from Khulna and Rajshahi divisions who had qualified through the online phase.
Extensive promotion and preparatory workshops were held in over 100 educational institutions across more than 50 districts nationwide. Combined online and offline participation exceeded 17,000 students, marking one of the highest registration figures in BDJSO history.
The Khulna regional phase’s opening ceremony began at 9 a.m., attended by Khulna Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saiful Islam, Al-Arafah Islami Bank Khulna Branch Manager Mohammad Ferdous Hasan, Khulna Zilla School Head Teacher Mohammad Farukul Islam, and General Secretary of the Bangladesh Science Popularization Society Dr. Farseem Mannan Mohammad. Students from Khulna, Jashore, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Jhenaidah, Kushtia, Narail, Magura, Pirojpur, and Faridpur districts participated. The event featured a one-hour and fifteen-minute examination, followed by a special interactive question-and-answer session where students asked science-related questions to university professors. The panel included Dr. Farseem Mannan Mohammad, Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET); Dr. Kazi Md. Didarul Islam, Professor of Biological Sciences at Khulna University; and Dr. Md. Tariqul Islam, Professor of Physics at Khulna University.
The Khulna regional event concluded with the distribution of medals and certificates to winners—12 in the primary category, 22 in the junior category, and 27 in the secondary category.
In Rajshahi, students from Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Naogaon, and Sirajganj districts participated in the regional phase, which began at 8:30 a.m. This was followed by the one-hour and fifteen-minute examination. Distinguished guests included Professor Moazzem Hossain, Principal of Rajshahi Education Board Government Model School and College; Md. Almas Uddin, Assistant Director of Secondary and Higher Education, Rajshahi Region; Md. Masud Rana, Founder of Anannya Shishu Shikhaloy; and Abul Kalam Muhammad Azad, Rajshahi Correspondent of Prothom Alo.
Winners of the BDJSO regional rounds will advance to the national phase in Dhaka. From there, around 60 top students will be selected for the BDJSO Camp, where they will undergo intensive training and preparation. Based on performance at the camp, six contestants will be chosen to form the Bangladesh team for the 22nd International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO), to be held in Russia in December 2025. Since 2015, the Bangladesh Science Popularization Society has regularly sent teams to the competition.
As in previous years, BDJSO is jointly organized by the Bangladesh Science Popularization Society and the Bangladesh Freedom Foundation.
