The “National Biology Olympiad 2026,” held on Saturday, turned into a grand gathering of young biology enthusiasts from across the country.
Organized by the Bangladesh Biology Olympiad Committee under the slogan “Hopeful Lithuania”, the daylong event took place at the campus of American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) in the capital, aiming to select the national team that will represent Bangladesh at the upcoming International Biology Olympiad 2026, scheduled to be held in Lithuania from July 12 to 19.
The national olympiad featured students selected from 10 regional biology festivals organized throughout April across the country. More than a thousand students, guardians, and teachers from various districts participated in the event.
Contestants were evaluated through creative and analytical questions based on the International Biology Olympiad syllabus, covering seven major subjects: cell biology and biochemistry, anatomy and physiology of animals and plants, ethology, ecology, biological expression and genetics, biosystematics, and bioinformatics.
The day’s activities began with a short written examination, followed by a multiple-choice test. After the lunch break, one of the most anticipated segments of the Bangladesh Biology Olympiad — the question-and-answer session — began at 2:10pm.
The session opened with the national anthem performed in chorus. Renowned scientists, researchers, physicians, and teachers from across the country answered students’ questions during the interactive session, which was moderated by Dr Soumitra Chakraborty.
The closing ceremony began at 3:20pm. The chief guest was Professor Dr Saiful Islam, vice chancellor of AIUB. The guest of honor was Independence Award-winning Professor Dr Hasina Khan. Special guests included former adviser to the interim government on primary and mass education Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar and Professor Dr Md Abdur Rahman, pro-vice chancellor of AIUB. The ceremony was chaired by Professor Dr Rakhhari Sarkar, while the welcome address was delivered by Professor Dr Mrityunjoy Kundu.
Organizers said the primary goal of the event is to foster scientific thinking, research-oriented mindsets among young people, and strengthen Bangladesh’s participation in the International Biology Olympiad. Guests at the event encouraged students to become more actively involved in scientific pursuits and highlighted the importance of such initiatives in developing future scientific leadership.
At the end of the daylong competition, winners were announced and awarded certificates and honors. Twenty selected students will get the opportunity to participate in a biocamp to be held from May 13 to 16 at the National Institute of Biotechnology as part of their preparation for the International Biology Olympiad.
In addition, a total of 100 students in the junior, secondary, and higher secondary categories of the National Biology Festival earned the distinction of becoming champions, runners-up, and second runners-up.
Special awards named after distinguished Bengali biologists — Jagadish Chandra Bose, Upendranath Brahmachari, Gopal Chandra Bhattacharya, AKM Nurul Islam, and SM Hasanuzzaman — were presented to outstanding students Ariz Anas (South Point School and College), Md Sinan Saifi Rahman (St Joseph Higher Secondary School), Ahnaf Daiyan (Maple Leaf International School), Md Shahreen Al-Muhaimin (Navy Anchorage School and College), and Shafina Kabir Ipsita (Muminunnisa Government Women’s College).
The event was organized by the Bangladesh Biology Olympiad Committee. Venue partner was AIUB, training partner was the National Institute of Biotechnology, technical partner was Lab Bangla, and magazine partners were Biggan Chinta and Kishor Alo.
The Bangladesh Biology Olympiad 2026 once again demonstrated that the country’s younger generation is advancing with world-class potential in science and research.