Hopeful of Bangladesh's science Nobel by 2030

Eight-year-old Meher Mahmud, the youngest member of the team that participated in the International Robot Olympiad (IRO) in the Philippines, is one of the three Bangladeshi gold medalists.

He, along with his teammates, was attending a reception at Daffodil University auditorium in Dhaka yesterday.

The other members of the gold medalist team are Kazi Mostahid Labib and Tafsir Tahrim, class VI students of Chittagong Grammar School (Dhaka). Besides, Nashitat Jainah Rahman of Sunbeams School and Mahjabin Purbali of Aga Khan School won “Highly Commended” award.

Meher's team won gold in the 'Challenge' category for building a robotic boat that can measure the quality of sea water by analysing pH and detect underwater objects.

Besides, Md Khairul Islam from Lalbagh Govt Model School and College and Sunny Jubaer from Dhaka College lead 'TEAM BANGLADESH', which won the technical medal under the 'Creative' category.

This year, the IRO was held in the Philippines, from December 15 to 19. Bangladesh was represented at the event for the first time.

Meanwhile, six members of Bangladesh Junior Science Olympiad team -- who won two silver medals and four bronze in the International Junior Science Olympiad held in Botswana from December 2 to 11 -- also attended the same reception.

Imtiaz Tanvir Rahim of Notre Dame College and Abrar Tasneem Abir of St Gregory's High School won silver medals.

Speaking at the programme, National Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury said, “I am optimistic that someone from Bangladesh will get Nobel Prize in science by 2030.”

Renowned educationist and writer Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal congratulated the young winners. “There are many more students who are just as brilliant, but they are not getting the opportunity to demonstrate their talents… We, who are privileged, should take that into account,” he said.

Yeafesh Osman, former science and technology minister; Prof Yousuf Mahbubul Islam, vice chancellor of Daffodil International University; and Dr Rezaur Rahman, former senior scientist of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, among others, attended the event.