Five Bangladeshi students have been selected to represent the country at the International Olympiad on Climate Change and Environmental Issues (IOCE) 2026 in Sirius, Russia, after competing in a nationwide selection process involving more than 4,000 students.
The students are Abu Mahzoorah Aymaan, Fabiha Nurjina, Ismah Aroush, S M Anfal Habib and Kamrun Nahar Megha.
They were selected through the Bangladesh Olympiad on Climate Change & Environmental Issues (BOCE) 2026, organized by the Sustainability and Life Sciences Network (SLSN) and Zero Competitions.
The selection process began with a nationwide Preliminary Round on July 17, followed by regional rounds in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Sylhet and an online e-Regional Round.
Around 1,000 students advanced to the regional stage, while the top 300 qualified for the National Round held on August 21 at Curzon Hall of the University of Dhaka.
Following the National Round, 40 national winners took part in an intensive preparation camp covering ecology, biodiversity, environmental chemistry, climate science, Earth system science and disaster management.
The final Team Selection Test was held on August 27 at the Russian House in Dhaka. It assessed participants on scientific knowledge, analytical thinking, data interpretation and problem-solving skills.
The National Round was attended by representatives from the University of Dhaka and the Russian House in Dhaka.
Prof Dr Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Dhaka, was the chief guest, while Alexandra Khlevnoy, director of the Russian House in Dhaka, and Md Delwar Hossain, senior coordinator of educational projects, also attended.
Dr Kazi Matin Uddin Ahmed, professor of geology at the University of Dhaka, served as academic adviser.
The Bangladesh delegation will be led by Taseen Mohammad and Ahnaf Tahmid Uddin as team leaders, with Ferdous Ahmed serving as observer.
IOCE 2026 will feature theoretical, practical and project-based competitions in climate science, environmental studies and sustainability, bringing together national teams in Sirius, Russia.
The BOCE initiative seeks to promote climate literacy, scientific thinking and problem-solving among Bangladeshi youth and encourage interest in research, innovation and environmental leadership.
