The national round of BDOAA 2026 will be held on 18 April, bringing together some of the country’s brightest young astronomy enthusiasts from across Bangladesh.

Widely recognised as one of the largest gatherings of aspiring young astronomers in the country, the event marks an important step in promoting scientific curiosity and excellence among school and college students.

The Bangladesh Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (BDOAA) is one of the country’s leading initiatives for promoting astronomy and astrophysics education. The Olympiad operates under the Center for Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics (CASSA) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), the country’s first computational and observational astronomy research laboratory.

The core objective of BDOAA is to cultivate scientific curiosity, analytical thinking and research-oriented learning among students by introducing them to astronomy and astrophysics through competitive and educational platforms.

This year, the Olympiad is being organised in three competitive categories to ensure inclusive participation. The junior category includes students from Grades 6 to 9, the senior category accommodates students from Grade 10 to HSC 2026 candidates, and the open category welcomes participants who completed HSC between 2022 and 2025.

Through these divisions, BDOAA continues to create opportunities for learners at different academic stages to engage with advanced scientific concepts.

The journey of BDOAA 2026 began with the regional round, which was held simultaneously on 12 November 2025 across seven regions – Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Dinajpur and Tangail.

The regional events saw enthusiastic participation from science-minded students from across the country, creating an inspiring environment of learning and collaboration. Participants who performed well secured places in the upcoming national round.

To further expand accessibility and encourage nationwide engagement, an online e-regional round was organised on 8 March 2026, enabling students from diverse backgrounds to take part remotely. Winners from this round also earned the opportunity to compete at the national stage. The online round was supported by the GanitJoggo platform, strengthening collaborative efforts in science education outreach.

In addition to the Olympiad competitions, BDOAA 2026 introduced a special initiative titled the National Astro Poster Making Competition 2026.

The preliminary phase of this competition was conducted online alongside the regional rounds, allowing participants to showcase their creativity and scientific understanding through visual presentations. Selected participants will present their work before scientists and experts during the national round, adding an innovative dimension to this year’s programme.

The grand national round will take place at the campus of Independent University, Bangladesh, where selected participants from both the offline and online regional rounds will demonstrate their knowledge, analytical skills and creativity in astronomy and astrophysics.

The national round serves as an important platform for students to refine their scientific abilities, interact with mentors and experience a competitive academic environment that encourages excellence.

Continuing its long-standing tradition, BDOAA will organise an intensive training camp for the national round winners. From this camp, a national team will be selected to represent Bangladesh at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA).

The upcoming IOAA is scheduled to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in late September 2026. Over the years, Bangladeshi students have brought recognition to the country through notable achievements at this international competition.

BDOAA remains committed to encouraging young learners by awarding certificates, medals and other recognitions to participants at every stage of the Olympiad, inspiring them to continue pursuing astronomy and scientific research.

Supporting this initiative as the print and online media partner is The Business Standard, while TBS Graduates is joining as the youth engagement partner, contributing to broader outreach and youth participation in science education.

Through initiatives such as BDOAA, Bangladesh continues to nurture a new generation of scientifically curious and globally competitive young minds, reinforcing the country’s commitment to advancing science, innovation and education.