Five students will represent Bangladesh at the International Olympiad on Climate Change and Environmental Issues (IOCE) 2026 in Sirius, Russia, following a nationwide competition and training programme.

According to a press release, the team comprises Abu Mahzoorah Aymaan, Fabiha Nurjina, Ismah Aroush, SM Anfal Habib and Kamrun Nahar Megha.

They were selected through the Bangladesh Olympiad on Climate Change & Environmental Issues (BOCE) 2026, organised by the Sustainability and Life Sciences Network (SLSN) and Zero Competitions.

The national initiative aims to identify and prepare young Bangladeshi talent in climate science, environmental studies and sustainability for international competition.

Taseen Mohammad and Ahnaf Tahmid Uddin will lead the Bangladesh delegation as Team Leaders, while Ferdous Ahmed will accompany the team as Observer.

The selection process began on 17 July with a nationwide online preliminary round involving more than 4,000 students from across Bangladesh.

Successful participants advanced to regional rounds in Dhaka and Rajshahi on 1 August and Sylhet on 8 August, followed by an online e-regional round on 10 August.

Approximately 1,000 students participated in the regional stage, and 300 qualified for the national round at Curzon Hall, University of Dhaka, on 21 August.

The national round tested students through conceptual, analytical, quantitative and environmental problems, focusing on scientific understanding and problem-solving ability.

University of Dhaka Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) Professor Dr Abdus Salam attended the national round as the chief guest.

Special guests included Dr Md Humayun Kabir, Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Dr BM Rabby Hossain, Chairman of the Department of Disaster Science and Climate Resilience; and Professor Dr Md Bodruzzaman Mia, Chairman of the Department of Geology.

Russian House in Dhaka Director Alexandra Khlevnoy and Senior Coordinator of Educational Projects Md Delwar Hossain also attended.

Dr Kazi Matin Uddin Ahmed, Professor in the University of Dhaka’s Department of Geology, served as Academic Advisor.

The programme also featured a special session by Bangladeshi mountaineer and Everest summiteer Ikramul Hasan Shakil, who shared his Everest journey and spoke about preparation, resilience and pushing beyond personal limits.

Following the national round, 40 national winners advanced to the final preparation stage.

Their National Winners’ Camp began on 23 August, offering focused academic training to strengthen the scientific reasoning, subject knowledge and problem-solving skills needed for international competition.

The training covered six areas: ecology, biodiversity, environmental chemistry, climate science, Earth systems and disaster management.

The final Team Selection Test was held on 27 August at the Russian House in Bangladesh in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

Candidates were assessed on scientific understanding, problem-solving, data interpretation, analytical thinking and their ability to perform under pressure, and the five-member national team was selected following this assessment.

IOCE is an international academic competition focused on climate science, environmental studies, sustainability and related scientific disciplines.

The olympiad brings national teams together to compete in theoretical, practical and project-based components.

Beyond preparing students for international competition, BOCE aims to establish a lasting national platform for young people interested in climate and environmental science.

Its broader mission is to strengthen climate literacy, encourage scientific thinking and problem-solving, and create opportunities for future Bangladeshi researchers, innovators and environmental leaders.

The initiative seeks to prepare young people to respond to the climate challenges Bangladesh already faces.