Bangladesh Wins Bronze at IOAA 2026

Bangladesh’s young science talents have secured multiple distinctions at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2026), competing against 320 contestants from 66 countries and territories. Arash Zuhayr Udoy won a Bronze Medal, Md Talha Zobair received an Honorable Mention, while Junaed Labeeb Al Waasi won the Group Competition. The Hanoi edition was the largest IOAA event to date.

The 19th IOAA concluded in Hanoi on October 5, Monday, after running from September 25. The competition brought together 67 teams from 66 countries and territories, with 320 contestants taking part. Participants faced demanding theoretical, analytical and observational challenges in astronomy and astrophysics.

Arash Zuhayr Udoy of Maple Leaf International School won the Bronze Medal for Bangladesh. He was the youngest member of the Bangladesh contingent and secured the international recognition on the global stage. His selection as a Bangladesh team member for IOAA 2026 was also reported before the competition.

Md Talha Zobair of Dhaka City College received an Honorable Mention. The recognition added another individual distinction to Bangladesh’s overall performance.

Junaed Labeeb Al Waasi of Notre Dame College won the Group Competition. According to the team’s results, the achievement marks Bangladesh’s second consecutive year, following 2025 and 2026, as part of the winning multinational group in the collaborative competition.

The other two Bangladesh delegates, Sajid Aman of Notre Dame College and Md Radit Raian of Adamjee Cantonment College, also made strong contributions throughout the demanding competition.

The national delegation was led and mentored in Vietnam by Team Leaders Fahim Rajit Hossain and Arnab Chowdhury. Fahim Rajit Hossain is an AI expert engineer based in the United States. Arnab Chowdhury is a lecturer at the University of Asia Pacific in Bangladesh.

IOAA is one of the world’s major international science olympiads. It aims to inspire interest in astronomy and astrophysics, identify and nurture young scientific talent, and promote academic exchange and international cooperation.

The 2026 competition tested participants through theoretical examinations, data-analysis problems and observational challenges involving the night sky. Bangladesh’s performance therefore reflects not only individual awards but also the growing capability of young Bangladeshi students in astronomy, scientific analysis and space-related disciplines.

Arash Zuhayr Udoy’s Bronze Medal, Md Talha Zobair’s Honorable Mention and Junaed Labeeb Al Waasi’s Group Competition victory highlighted Bangladesh’s performance. The contributions of Sajid Aman and Md Radit Raian, along with the leadership and mentorship of Fahim Rajit Hossain and Arnab Chowdhury, further strengthened the national delegation’s journey.

//DBTech/FBP/MSI/CPM//