Final round of Bangladesh Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2025 held

The final round of the 11th season of the Bangladesh Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2025 took place at the International Training Network Centre (ITN), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), on 25 April 2025. With the theme "Inspiring today's student, inspiring tomorrow's water," the event aimed to highlight the vital role of youth in shaping the future of water resource management and innovation.

Six teams from across the country were selected to compete in the final round. Their projects showcased the depth of passion and innovation that young minds bring to tackling pressing water and environmental challenges. A distinguished jury panel evaluated the competition, which included the following esteemed members: Professor Dr Tanvir Ahmed, Professor of Civil Engineering at BUET; Nayoka Martinez Bäckström, First Secretary, Environment & Climate Change Deputy Head, Development Cooperation Section at the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka; Mostafizur Rahman, Programme Officer, Development Cooperation Section at the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka; Faria Fahim Badhon, WASH Officer at UNICEF Bangladesh; Dr Asef Mohammad Redwan, Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering at North South University; Dr Ferdous Sarwar, Professor and Head of the Department of Industrial & Production Engineering at BUET; Samia Anwar Rafa, Officer-Technical at WaterAid Bangladesh; Md Tawhidur Rahman, Technical Expert, CWIS-FMS Support Cell at DPHE; and Abdullah Al Muyeed, Chief Operating Officer, CWIS-FMS Support Cell at DPHE.

Since its inception in October 2024, the competition has seen a remarkable response, with 152 teams registering from across the country. After a rigorous evaluation and screening process, 6 final project papers were selected from 46 submissions. This year's competition sought to amplify the awareness and initiative of the younger generation, aiming to generate practical solutions to water-related issues.

The winners of this prestigious national competition will represent Bangladesh at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize in Stockholm, Sweden, this August, joining participants from 35 other countries in a global showcase of youth-driven innovation in water sustainability.

The competition concluded with great success, thanks to the active involvement of respected judges, enthusiastic participants, volunteers, and attendees. The event was organised by House of Volunteers Foundation Bangladesh, with WaterAid Bangladesh serving as the co-organiser. BUET-ITN was strategic partner, and ESTex and The Business Standard contributed as the technical and media partners, respectively.