2nd 'bKash-Bigganchinta Science Festival' held

The grand finale of the second edition of the 'bKash-Bigganchinta Science Festival', organised jointly by bKash and the science-based monthly magazine Bigganchinta, concluded recently at Bangladesh Shishu Academy in the capital.

The science festival began on 31 October, 2022, and ended on Thursday (23 March) with a robot show, question and answer session, magic show, and cultural programme along with innovative project displays, quiz sessions and an award-giving ceremony, reads a press release.

Ankita Halder and Sumaiya Ahmed from Holy Cross Girls' High School became the best of the best in this year's competition with their invention of bioplastic made from fish scales that will naturally break down over time.

Aurab Azad and Farhan Mushfique from Rajshahi Shikkha Board Govt Model School And College and Rajshahi Collegiate School came second and Rangpur Cantonment Public School and College students Nafis, Sajid and Fatin came third presenting science and research-focused projects.

Planning Minister MA Mannan handed over books, trophies, medals, certificates and laptops to the winning teams. Among others, the chief external and corporate affairs officer of bKash, Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (retd.), director general of Bangladesh Shishu Academy and poet, Anjir Liton, editor of Bigganchinta, Abdul Kaiyum, Microbiologist Senjuti Saha, Unmad magazine editor Ahsan Habib were present at the event.

The planning minister said thanking bKash and Bigganchinta, "Today's youth will grow up and take the country forward through knowledge and science."

Aritra Debnath, a sixth-grade student of Khulna Zilla School, won at the lower secondary level in this festival's quiz competition. At the secondary level, the winner was a ninth-grade student of the same school, Md Najeeb Mahmood. Iftikhar Ahmed Sajid, a ninth-grade student of Rajshahi Collegiate School, became the first in the special quiz.

The robot "Nao" came to the stage at the Shishu Academy and announced the opening of the event where young scientists from across the country brought around 50 projects including 'Human Helping Project', 'Project Train Accident Prevention', 'Smart City Management System', 'Mini Air Cooler', 'Gas Leakage and Fire Safety', 'Smart Kitchen' and so on.

Apart from the project exhibition, the students of classes VI to X selected from the regional rounds participated in the science quiz competition.

In addition, around 350 students participated in special quizzes, Rubik's Cubes, and Sudoku competitions open to all.