A team from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has emerged as champion at Idea Contest 2026, organized by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) to identify innovative youth-led solutions for expanding renewable energy and achieving Bangladesh's target of generating 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2050.
The final round of the competition was held in Savar, where "Team Roddur" from Buet secured the championship. "Swasthya Shakti" from the Dhaka University became the first runner-up, while "Solar Cluster" from the Bangladesh Agricultural University finished as the second runner-up.
Promoting youth engagement in Bangladesh's renewable energy transition—including policy clarity, target-setting, implementation prospects and addressing key challenges in renewable energy production and use—is one of TIB's priority areas.
As part of its project, "Promoting Good Governance and Integrity in the Energy Sector in Bangladesh," TIB organized the contest to gather innovative ideas from university students on expanding renewable energy and achieving the country's 2050 clean energy goal.
More than 300 ideas were submitted by university teams from across the country. Of those, 30 teams were shortlisted in the first round before 10 teams advanced to the three-day final round, held from June 25 to June 27.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said all participants who came forward with innovative ideas were winners.
"Not only the 10 teams that reached the final round, but everyone who came up with new ideas is a winner. We have seen that young people have led every positive change in the country. TIB believes Bangladesh will move towards 100% renewable energy to ensure energy self-reliance by following the path shown by its young people," he said.
The winning team's innovation, "Roddur AI," developed by Md Miraj Hossain Mahin and Meherab Hossain Opi, uses artificial intelligence to allow users to assess, free of charge, the feasibility of installing solar power systems anywhere in the country.
The first runner-up team, represented by Tanjim Maliyat and Asfin Jannat Shamsi, proposed transforming community clinics in flood-prone rural areas into emergency healthcare centres powered by hybrid renewable energy.
The second runner-up project, "Solar Cluster," developed by Md Nasimur Rahman Sabbir of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, presented a sustainable model for supplying clean and affordable electricity through community-owned solar mini-grids in shrimp farming clusters in the coastal district of Satkhira.
The champion team received Tk150,000, the first runner-up Tk100,000, and the second runner-up Tk75,000, along with trophies.
Among those present at the closing ceremony were Muniruddin Shamim, director (Program) of Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Bangladesh; Mehreen Ahmed Mahbub, senior external affairs officer at the World Bank; Ratan Kumar Ghosh, member and joint secretary, and Abdullah Al Mamun, assistant director, of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA)