Debjyoti Das Soumya, a class XII student of Jalalabad Cantonment Public School and College in Sylhet, made history by winning Bangladesh’s first gold medal at the International Informatics Olympiad (IOI). This year’s 36th IOI is being held at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, Egypt, from September 1 to 8.
Soumya’s achievement marks a significant milestone, as he is the first Bangladeshi student to win gold in this prestigious event. Soumya had previously won a bronze medal in 2022 and a silver medal in 2023.
Zarif Rahman, a student of Shah Makhdoom College in Rajshahi, won a bronze medal in this year’s competition. He received a bronze medal in 2023 and an honorable mention in 2022. The Bangladeshi team also included Akib Azmain Turya and Desh Acharya, with Professor M Sohail Rahman from the CSE department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology leading the team.
The competition, held over two days, challenges participants with four problems each day that must be solved using C or C++ programming languages within five hours. Contestants work individually without help from books or communication with others.
The first International Informatics Olympiad was held in Bulgaria in 1989. This year’s event saw participants from various countries showcasing their programming skills.
Information Advisor Nahid Islam congratulated Soumya and the Bangladesh team for their historic achievement. In a message, he said, "This achievement of young talented students from Bangladesh has increased the country's honor in the international arena. I am very happy with this achievement."
Bangladesh’s success in the IOI is a proud moment for the nation, inspiring young students to excel in the field of informatics and programming on the global stage.
