CSE student Azmain Inkiad Haque led the Smart Wheelchair project, which advanced from 963 submitted projects to the top 50 and then the top 10 before securing second place in the individual category. Finance and Planning Adviser to the Prime Minister Professor Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir handed over the award at the closing ceremony, while ICT Division Secretary Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan attended as special guest.

Khulna University (KU) has been recognised as one of the top five universities at the Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026, with its Smart Wheelchair project securing second place nationally in the individual category.

Nine KU teams participated in the three-day fair, which concluded at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre in Dhaka on 14 September.

The fair was held under the theme “Innovation Ecosystem Toward Trillion Dollar Economy” and brought together universities, research institutions, industries, entrepreneurs and innovators from across the country.

The Smart Wheelchair project aims to develop a low-cost wheelchair with an alternative control system for people with disabilities. Instead of a conventional joystick, it can be controlled using different movable parts of the user’s body.

The project received Tk100,000 under the Innovate to Market initiative. Its initial version can be developed for around Tk30,000, according to project member Fairuz Jahan Khan. Several organisations have also expressed interest in supporting its further development.

The other KU teams at the fair presented Neo Saver, AI-based Campus Security, Bliss Sihat, High Voltage Energy-Efficient 3D Printer, EcoLink, AI-powered ECG Screening Device, True Sight and Urban Earth. Neo Saver had earlier received seed funding in the best innovative project category.

KU also showcased Ecogen Sundarban, a community-based ecotourism model aimed at supporting environmental conservation, improving tourism experiences and increasing economic participation among local communities. The initiative is planned for initial implementation in Dacope, Khulna, and Mongla, Bagerhat.

The teams participated under the supervision of four faculty members, Professor Dr G M Atikur Rahman of CSE, Professor Dr Md Mahbub Hossain of ECE, Professor Dr Md Wasiul Islam of FWT and Professor S M Shamsul Alam of ECE.

Dr G M Atikur Rahman, director of the KU Innovation Hub, said the University Innovation Hub Programme selects innovative teams and provides mentoring, funding and training to help them present their projects at national-level platforms.