Young scientists to compete in Sofia this December

Dhaka, September 9, Wednesday: Bangladesh has announced a six-member team to represent the country at the 23rd International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO 2026), scheduled to take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from December 2 to 9.

Special preparation and practical science training for the selected students will begin on September 15 at the Maksudul Alam Science Laboratory (MASLab) in Dhanmondi.

The six members of the Bangladesh team are Abrar Zahin Pathan, a ninth-grade student of Daffodil International School; Ahmed Saad, a ninth-grade student of St Joseph Higher Secondary School; Kazi Sunehra Islam Samriddhi, a ninth-grade student of SFX Greenherald International School; Mohammad Saifan Haider, a ninth-grade student of St Joseph Higher Secondary School; Marzana Manha, a ninth-grade student of SFX Greenherald International School; and Nashwan Haque Mahir, a 10th-grade student of Dhaka Residential Model College.

They will represent Bangladesh at the 23rd IJSO in Sofia this December.

National champion joins team

Marzana Manha was the junior-category champion in this year’s national round. Following the announcement of the results, she said she had worked towards the achievement for two years and dreamed of studying at MIT one day.

BUET professor to lead team

Dr Farsim Mannan Mohammadi, Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and General Secretary of the Bangladesh Science Popularization Association, will serve as the head of the Bangladesh team.

The assistant team leaders are Md Rezaul Islam, BDJSO Coordinator and Senior Programme Officer of the association, and Farzana Akter Lima, Academic Coordinator of BDJSO 2026 and Project Manager at the Centre for Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics.

Practical science gets priority

A special preparation camp and practical science training programme will begin on September 15 at MASLab to prepare the six students for the international competition.

Practical skills will receive particular attention because 40 percent of the total IJSO score depends on the practical examination.

After completing the preparation programme, the Bangladesh team is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Sofia on December 1.

Selection through BDJSO

The six-member team was selected through the 12th Bangladesh Junior Science Olympiad (BDJSO 2026).

Around 400 students who had advanced through school olympiads and online selection rounds participated in the national round held on August 28 at the campus of the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) in Uttara, Dhaka. A total of 59 students were declared winners.

The final team was selected following a three-day national residential-free camp and team selection test held from August 31 to September 2 at the Dhanmondi office of the Bangladesh Science Popularization Association.

The International Junior Science Olympiad has been organised since 2004 to bring together talented school-age students from around the world through science-based competition and exchange. Bangladesh has been participating regularly in the event since 2015.

//DBTech/MMP/SME/MIST//