Ibn Al-Haytham Science Fest Showcased Young Innovators and Awarded
The first-ever Ibn Al-Haytham Science Fest began on Sunday at Suhrawardy Udyan, Dhaka, featuring a day-long Junior Scientist Hunt Project Show with the participation of 340 teams. Additionally, around 900 competitors took part in the Rubik’s Cube competition. The event witnessed an overwhelming turnout of visitors throughout the day, drawn to project exhibitions, Rubik’s Cube contests, and various thematic booths.
The innovative projects presented by young scientists captivated the panel of judges and the audience alike. Students from various schools and colleges showcased self-made projects, demonstrating how scientific endeavors can address future challenges. The participants explained their projects’ objectives and practical applications to the guests. Some students flew self-built drones, while others demonstrated an egg-shaped device that could detect fire in homes and extinguish it using water. Projects included solar-powered cars, remote-controlled lighting systems, and a levitating train, named “Levitruck,” that uses magnetic repulsion to move without wheels.
Over 100 stalls were set up by science enthusiasts from different districts, showcasing projects such as solar-powered factories to reduce carbon emissions, drone technology innovations, modern urban planning concepts, waste-to-energy solutions, cold storage systems, and eco-friendly electricity generation methods. Other notable projects included gas separation techniques and resilient urban drainage and sewage systems.
At the end of the day, the Junior Scientist Hunt Project Show announced its winners. The first prize went to Team “Plasma Rider” from St. Joseph College. Second place was secured by Team “Aeronard” from Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College, followed by Team “Smart Age” from Cumilla Polytechnic Institute in third place. Team “Atlantis Explorer” from Dhaka Residential Model College and Team “High Flyers” from Government Bangla College achieved fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
The champion team received a prize of BDT 60,000, while the runner-up and third-place teams were awarded BDT 40,000 and BDT 30,000, respectively. The fourth and fifth-place teams were given BDT 20,000 and BDT 10,000, respectively.
In the Rubik’s Cube competition, Dhaka’s Muntazim Billah emerged as the champion, receiving BDT 15,000. Aviroop Das from Chattogram secured the second position with a prize of BDT 10,000, while Farhan from Mirpur came third, winning BDT 5,000, along with crests and certificates.
The closing and prize-giving ceremony was graced by several notable figures, including Dr. Fakhruddin Manik, former Central President of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir; Sirajul Islam, a prominent planner; Mostafa Faisal Parvez, Secretary General of the International Islamic Student Organization (IFSO); and Rashed Pradhan, General Secretary of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), along with other student leaders.
The invited guests emphasized the importance of nurturing the talent and creativity of young scientists. They remarked, “Today’s young scientists will be tomorrow’s leaders, playing a significant role in achieving scientific excellence.”
The guests were impressed by the innovative thinking of Bangladesh’s younger generation and commended the event organizers, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, for their commitment to promoting scientific endeavors. They further stressed the need for government support and adequate funding for research to encourage such innovative initiatives among students.
