Team Bangladesh has won five medals in the 18th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2025, hosted by Jining Confucius School, China.
IESO is an annual global competition in earth and environmental sciences for secondary and higher secondary school students. This year, around 1500 students from across Bangladesh participated in several highly competitive regional and national rounds, with the top 4 students winning a place on Team Bangladesh.
The Team Bangladesh was comprised of four members: Mohammad Tahmid Rahman from Dinajpur Government College, Omar Bin Arif and Sheikh Fahim Mahmud from Notre Dame College, and Faaris Ahmed Aayan from Summerfield International School. The Mentor for Bangladesh team was Professor Younus Ahmed Khan from Depatment of Geology, University of Rajshahi.
Mohammad Tahmid Rahman achieved a Silver Medal and Sheikh Fahim Mahmud achieved a Bronze Medal for Bangladesh in the Individual Theoretical and Practical Test.
Mohammad Tahmid Rahman also earned a Gold Medal , while Faaris Ahmed Aayan earned a Bronze Medal in the Earth System Project (ESP). In this segment, each of them was teamed with other international participants to create a collaborative project.
Finally, in the International Team Field Investigation (ITFI), a team segment involving field work, Mohammad Tahmid Rahman achieved a Silver Medal again!
The Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative (BYEI), a youth-led nonprofit organisation, selected the Bangladesh team through its nationwide competitive program, the National Earth Olympiad (NEO). Since 2012, NEO has been held annually as part of a broader education and knowledge movement to promote and mainstream earth and environmental science education across Bangladesh.
This year, the Olympiad was supported by Prime Bank as the Training Partner, while the University of Dhaka, Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), and the Bangladesh Geological Society served as Strategic and Knowledge Partners.
Professor Younus Ahmed Khan, Mentor of Team Bangladesh said, “Studying the Earth is not for the Earth itself but for the greater safeguards of human beings. Let our youngs be ready for environmental leadership through a coordinated approach nationwide.”
Shamir Shehab, Executive Director of BYEI said, “For Bangladesh to thrive as a climate-resilient nation, we need a new generation of environmental stewards who can serve as practitioners, scholars, and policymakers to generate knowledge and provide thought leadership. Through initiatives like the NEO, BYEI has been nurturing these young stewards since 2009, and their success at the 18th IESO is a proud testament to this vision.”
