National Round of Science Festival Goes on at St. Joseph Showcases Science, Stories, and Surprises

Under the slogan “Biggane Bikash” (Development through Science), the national round of the bKash-BigganChinta Science Festival will be held on Friday, October 31, at 8:00 am at St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, Asad Gate, Dhaka.

The winners of this national segment will receive laptops, tablets, books, science kits, trophies, medals, certificates, and many other exciting prizes. Throughout the day, the event will feature a range of engaging activities, including robot shows, Science Unplugged (science talks), science magic, quizzes, music, celebrity conversations, and more.

The festival will be open to all. Interested visitors may participate in Rubik’s Cube and Sudoku competitions, while registered participants will have the chance to join a special quiz. Winners of these contests will also be rewarded with attractive prizes.

The festival will conclude at 4:30 pm with a grand award ceremony.

More than 70 schools from across the country will be represented at the national event by their regional winners, comprising students from grades six to ten. Participants will compete in project exhibitions and science quizzes. The project exhibition will include students from grades six through ten in a single category, while the quiz competition will be divided into two groups — lower secondary (grades six to eight) and secondary (grades nine to ten and SSC candidates for 2025).

According to the organizers, the Science Unplugged segment will feature a series of captivating talks by distinguished academics and science communicators.

• Professor Arshad Momen, coach of the Bangladesh Physics Olympiad team and faculty member at the Department of Physical Sciences, Independent University, Bangladesh, will discuss “Relativity and Einstein’s Universe.”

• Professor Lafifa Jamal of the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Dhaka, will explore the question “Will Robots Take Over the World?”

• Professor Farseem Mannan Mohammad, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), will speak on “Aliens, Existence, and Science.”

• Professor Adnan Mannan from the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Chittagong, will deliver a talk titled “Genes and DNA — The Language That Writes Our Story.”

• Science speaker Asif will discuss the “Cosmic Calendar,” and Professor B. M. Mainul Hossain, Director of the Institute of Information Technology, University of Dhaka, will speak about Artificial Intelligence (AI).

• The festival will also feature a creative session titled “Science through Strokes and Stories” by cartoonist Nasrin Sultana Mitu, focusing on science in cartoons and comics.

The bKash-BigganChinta Science Festival aims to inspire young minds, bridge creativity with scientific inquiry, and celebrate innovation in an engaging and accessible way.