The Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative (BYEI) proudly celebrated the achievements of the best-performing participants of the National Earth Olympiad (NEO) 2026 at an award ceremony held recently.

Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh, hosted the ceremony at the French Residence in Dhaka.

Ajmain Hussain Adiyan (International School Dhaka), Shahad Shahriar (Notre Dame College), Tawhidur Rahman (Notre Dame College), and Md. Omar Faruk (Notre Dame College) emerged as the national winners and will represent Bangladesh at the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026 in Turin, Italy.

Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet presented certificates and medals to the top performers and emphasized the importance of science-based solutions and international cooperation in addressing environmental challenges.

The ceremony also brought together students, educators, policymakers, diplomats, and environmental professionals to celebrate Bangladesh’s emerging talent in earth and environmental science.

More than 2,270 students from across Bangladesh registered for NEO 2026. The Olympiad included an online preliminary round, in-person divisional exams, the Green Day Training (GDT) workshop, the national round, an online camp, and the Bangladesh National Team Selection Test.

A key component of NEO 2026 was the E-STEM Action Project, through which participants identified local environmental challenges and developed STEM-based solutions with funding and mentorship support.

NEO 2026 is supported by North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), with Kishor Alo as media partner.

The Department of Geology, University of Dhaka and the Department of Environmental Science and Management, Independent University, Bangladesh, provided strategic and knowledge support.

Shamir Shehab, Founder and Trustee of BYEI, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment and thanked all partners and supporters.

Founded in 2009, BYEI promotes environmental education and leadership among youth through initiatives such as the National Earth Olympiad.

BYEI received the 2025 Global E-STEM Excellence Award from NAAEE in recognition of its impact.