Bangladesh earn three bronze medals

Bangladesh has earned three bronze medals and two prestigious recognitions in this year’s International Mathematical Olympiad.

Medals were handed over to the winners during the closing ceremony of the 64th event at Japanese local time 3:00pm on Wednesday.

Among the Bangladesh team members, Nuzhat Ahmed of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College scored 24 numbers, SMA Nahian of Dhaka College scored 24 numbers and Shahriar Hossain of Rangpur’s RCCI Public School and College scored 20 numbers to win bronze medals.

Meanwhile, Debapriyo Saha Roy (score 17) of Mymensingh’s Ananda Mohan College and Jitendra Barua (score 16) of Chattogram’s Ispahani Public School and College received the prestigious recognitions. Besides, the other member of the team, Imad Uddin Ahmad, of Kushtia Government College scored 9 numbers.

A total of 618 students from 112 countries participated in the competition. Out of them, 54 students received gold medals, 90- received silver medals and 170 students received bronze medals.

Five of the contestants have attained the ‘perfect score’ of 42 out of 42 numbers.

China has retained their superiority in the competition with six gold medals and a score of 240 numbers. USA came second with Korea ranking the third.

Bangladesh secured the 46th position with a score of 110. Among our neighbouring countries, India ranked ninth, Sri Lanka 70th, Pakistan 81st, Myanmar 88th and Nepal came 92nd.

Apart from three bronze medals, the only female member of Bangladesh team Nuzhat received Maryam Mirzakhani award for the best performance among the girls of Australasia region.

Notably, Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani was the first woman to win the Fields Medal in mathematics in 2014. Following her death in 2017, this award is being conferred from last year.

Nuzhat said, “Alongside individual achievements, we are thrilled with our team performance.”

Member of Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad committee, Mohammad Kaikobad congratulating the team members said, “Nuzhat Ahmed winning the Mirzakhani award yet again proves that our women too are coming forward in mathematical science.”

Delighted by Nuzhat Ahmed’s success Bangladesh Teams coach, Mahbub Majumdar said, “Our students are now trying to solve tough mathematical problems with confidence. Nuzhat Ahmed did not only win the Muirzakhani award, she won a silver medal at European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad recently. She even became country’s joint top scorer this time.”

Bronze medal winner, Dhaka College student SMA Nahian said, “Winning a bronze medal for Bangladesh on foreign soil in an intellectual battle is creating an entirely different feeling actually.”

Abul Kashem Md Shirin, managing director of Dutch-Bangla Bank which sponsors Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad, is happy with Bangladesh team’s success.

He said that Dutch-Bangla Bank is pleased to have promoted this intellectual competition of Bangladeshi students, right from the start. Dutch-Bangla Bank will continue to be on the side of talented students in future as well, he added.

With the support of Dutch-Bangla Bank and the overall management of Prothom Alo, Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad committee has been selecting members for the mathematics team in different stages from among the school-college students across the country.