Our Little Heroes at IMSO!

Many enthusiasts gathered at the Bissho Shahitto Kendro on October 13, 2025. Twelve primary school students from Bangladesh participated in the International Mathematics and Science Olympiad (IMSO), held from October 5 to 9 in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.

This was Bangladesh's first-ever participation in IMSO and what a debut it was! Our young participants brought home 2 silver and 10 bronze medals, making it the best achievement in our Olympiad history at the primary level. We also heard from their mentors, who shared valuable insights from the experience. A video shown by the organizers mentioned that the IMSO syllabus aligns closely with Malaysia's secondary school level, not the primary - meaning our students faced a tough chalenge indeed! We also learned that in many countries, the preparation starts as early as February, and teams are finalized by May, giving them months to train together. In contrast, our national selection was held only on August 22 this year. 

There were three tests each in Math and Science- objective, open-ended, and exploration/practical. The science practical was particularly demanding since it's rarely part of our primary or even high school system. The Chief Jury of IMSO Science sent a special video message, praising Bangladesh's performance noting that in the open-ended section, our country's average score was higher than the overall average of participating nations. Bangladesh also became the 1st Runner-Up in STEM Exploration. Beyond the exams, our students spoke about Malaysian food, the warmth and hospitality of the organizers, the friendships they made with students from other countries, and what more they think we could do to perform even better next time. Two parents who accompanied the team also Sahitto Kendra to celebrate our little heroes.

Brother Leo Pereira, our beloved guide, reminded us that discipline and team spirit are the foundation of any success. Sarwat Reza Apa emphasized how co-curricular and STEM activities are gaining importance across the world and that Bangladesh must continue to invest in them. BM Mainul Hossain, PhD shared that we will prepare even better in the coming years. We also extended our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated mentors Mim Naz Rahman, Juti Singho, Samira Sumaia, Morsheda Akter Mim, Farzana Akter Lima, Ovijan Paul Rudra, and others who guided the students every step of the way.

Bangladesh looks forward to participating in IMSO 2026 in Indonesia, InshaAllah!