A team from the Islamic University of Technology has brought international recognition to Bangladesh by winning the “Most Creative & Innovative Award” at the Universiti Malaya Civil Engineering Competition (UMCvEC) 2026 held in Malaysia.

Organised annually by the Department of Civil Engineering at Universiti Malaya, the competition brings together engineering students and innovators from around the world to tackle real-world sustainability challenges through practical engineering solutions.

This year’s competition centred on the theme “Ecoggregate”, challenging participants to design and engineer a functional 200mm-diameter concrete bowling ball using only sustainable aggregates.

Representing Bangladesh, the five-member IUT team developed an eco-friendly concrete mix titled “Green SCC RBA Mix”. The team consisted of Sadman Ahmed Sabub, Rajit Muhammad Chowdhury, Ali Intisar, Md Shoaib, and Ragib Jawad Safat under the supervision of Prof Dr Tarek Uddin.

The team created the innovative material by collecting recycled brick aggregates from construction and demolition waste sites and integrating them with synthetic polypropylene fibres and a high-range water-reducing admixture.

According to the team, the software-validated results demonstrated several notable advantages over conventional concrete materials. The mix was designed with an estimated lifespan of 140 years, while reducing carbon emissions by 34% compared to traditional concrete. The team also claimed the material could provide up to 580% greater lifecycle profitability due to its minimal maintenance requirements.

The achievement highlights the growing potential of Bangladeshi engineering students in sustainable construction research and innovation on the global stage. The team’s success at UMCvEC 2026 also reflects increasing international recognition of environmentally conscious engineering solutions developed by young researchers from Bangladesh.