Bangladesh has secured a gold medal at the 4th Open World Astronomy Olympiad, marking a significant achievement on the global stage of science competitions.

The Olympiad, organised by Russia’s Ministry of Education and the Sirius Education Center, was held in Sochi from 21 September, drawing 90 contestants from 20 countries. The closing ceremony took place on Saturday at the Sirius Conference Center, attended by senior Russian officials, including Professor Dr Oleg Malakhov.

A six-member Bangladeshi team competed in the event, earning one gold, two silver, one bronze, and an honourable mention.

• Gold Medal: Md Mokhdum Amin Fahim (Grade 10, Police Lines Secondary School, Jashore)

• Silver Medals: Saptarshi Rahman (A-Level, Heed International School, Dhaka) and Md Radit Raiyan (Grade 12, Adamjee Cantonment College, Dhaka)

• Bronze Medal: Md Zubayer Hossain Zisan (Grade 8, Rajshahi Collegiate School, Rajshahi)

• Honourable Mention: Sayantan Roy (Grade 9, South Herald English School, Khulna)

Shahpar Alam, Director of the Bangladesh Astro-Olympiad National Committee, praised the participants, saying their success had “made Bangladesh’s name shine on the global stage” and would inspire future students to pursue science.

The victorious team is scheduled to return home on Sunday, 28 September, and will be received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 4 pm.