IUB, BDC to host all-women national debate tournament Shevolution 2026
Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and the Bangladesh Debating Council (BDC) will host Shevolution 2026, an all-women national debate tournament, from 28 to 30 August at the IUB campus in Dhaka.
The three-day event is expected to bring together more than 500 participants from across the country, including around 120 debaters, more than 50 adjudicators and over 100 organisers and volunteers, according to a press release. The tournament will be held under the theme '#HearHerRoar', with IUB as the title sponsor and presented as 'IUB Presents BDC Shevolution 2026'.
All aspects of the tournament, including participation, adjudication, organisation and leadership, will be women-led. The IUB Debating Club (IUBDC), the university's student debating society, will provide on-the-ground organisational support.
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"Shevolution was built on a simple idea - that women should not only take part in debate but run every part of it," said Salwaa Ara Khan, convener of Shevolution 2026 and vice-chair for digital, equity and treasury at BDC.
"From the organising committee to the adjudication panel, this is a space women own end to end. We want every participant to leave knowing she can lead any room she walks into," added Salwaa, a former executive board member of IUBDC.
The debate competition will be conducted in English in the British Parliamentary format, featuring four preliminary rounds followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and a grand final. The event will also feature competitions in art, slam poetry, public speaking and creative writing, with around 100 participants expected across these segments.
Shevolution is BDC's flagship women-focused programme and was first held in 2019 with an all-female organising committee, adjudication core and high-school participant pool. The top 10 speakers from that edition earned direct entry to BDC's 2019 National Camp and Shevolution Academy, which provided training with internationally recognised debaters.
Established in 2005, the Bangladesh Debating Council is the national body for English-language debate in Bangladesh. It organises tournaments, workshops and training programmes aimed at developing the country's debating community.
