Cybersecurity Showcase Shapes Future Digital Defenders
Outside, rain poured relentlessly. Inside, a different stream flowed across giant screens—not of water, but of binary digits, ones and zeros. Accompanied by the rhythmic pulse of human beatboxing, the atmosphere energized hundreds of young participants. In that unique “beat-mosphere,” host Mousumi shared how ChatGPT had once inspired her to investigate a new waterborne disease during an illness.
Against this vibrant backdrop, the Bangladesh Cyber Security Olympiad 2026 concluded on Saturday, June 13, at the National Science and Technology Complex in Agargaon, Dhaka, with enthusiastic participation from students across the country.
The event was organized by the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) with the objective of promoting safe use of information technology, increasing awareness of cybersecurity, and developing internationally competitive cyber talents among Bangladesh’s younger generation.
Held with the overall support of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division, the national final of the Olympiad selected top-performing contestants who will go on to represent Bangladesh on the global stage at future International Cyber Security Olympiads.
The closing ceremony was attended by Acting Secretary of the ICT Division, Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, and Director General of the National Cyber Security Agency, Dr. Md. Tayebur Rahman. Senior officials from the ICT Division and its affiliated departments and agencies also took part in the event.
The speakers emphasized the importance of developing the skills of the younger generation to safeguard the country's digital sovereignty and combat cybercrime. They expressed optimism that the emerging cyber talents identified through the Olympiad, including those from remote regions of the country, would play a significant role in protecting Bangladesh’s digital public infrastructure and broader information technology ecosystem in the future.
According to the organizing committee, a nationwide activation campaign was conducted through ICT Officers working at the “School of Future” institutions under all 300 parliamentary constituencies. The campaign included the distribution of awareness leaflets, cybersecurity awareness sessions, and extensive publicity through posters, banners, and newspaper notices across districts and upazilas.
As a result, a record 4,911 students from across the country registered for the competition.
Regional rounds were held simultaneously on May 16 at 17 leading university venues nationwide. The top three contestants from each venue, selected based on merit, were awarded and advanced to the national stage, bringing the total number of finalists to 51.
To prepare these finalists for international-level competition, a four-day intensive residential mentoring bootcamp was organized from June 9 to June 12, 2026.
The bootcamp featured practical training sessions conducted by officials of the National Cyber Security Agency and cybersecurity experts from the BGD e-GOV CIRT. Special sessions were delivered by Professor Dr. B. M. Moinul Hossain, Director of the Institute of Information Technology (IIT) at the University of Dhaka, and Professor Dr. A. B. M. Alim Al Islam of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
On June 12, the final day of the bootcamp, the National Final Olympiad was held under rigorous international standards. The country’s best cyber talents were selected through that competition and formally recognized at Saturday’s closing ceremony, where the final representatives for upcoming international cybersecurity contests were announced.
