NASA Space Apps Challenge 2024 kicked off

For the 11th consecutive year, the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), in collaboration with BASIS Students’ Forum, has launched the Bangladesh chapter of NASA Space Apps Challenge 2024 at the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB). The hackathon, which started on Friday, will run non-stop for 36 hours, with the closing ceremony scheduled for Saturday at 6:00 PM. Over the past decade, Bangladesh has achieved global championship in the competition four times, including three consecutive wins.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by BASIS President Russell T. Ahmed and AIUB Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Abdur Rahman. Also present were BASIS Senior Vice-president M. Rashidul Hasan, Vice-President (Finance) Iqbal Ahmed Fakhrul Hasan, BASIS Directors Mir Shahrukh Islam and Biplob Ghosh Rahul, NASA Space Apps Challenge 2024 Convener Abhijit Bhowmik, and Advisor for the Bangladesh chapter, Mohammad Mahdee-uz-Zaman.

NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States, brings together young talents from 185 countries across various fields—technologists, scientists, designers, artists, educators, and entrepreneurs—to find innovative solutions to global challenges. As part of this initiative, BASIS is organizing the competition in nine cities across Bangladesh, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Cumilla.

Over 3,000 participants from these nine cities in Bangladesh are competing in this year’s hackathon. Of the 500 total projects, the top 50 are being evaluated in a hybrid model at AIUB, while the remaining 450 projects are being judged online. The two-day event, spanning October 4-5, 2024, promises to be a thrilling contest of ideas and innovation.

At the event, AIUB Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Abdur Rahman remarked, “We are moving forward with the vision of building a new, prosperous Bangladesh. To achieve this, we need equal development in all areas of technology. Encouraging our youth is crucial for this technological advancement, and through their innovation, we can realize our goal of a prosperous Bangladesh. Competitions like NASA Space Apps Challenge 2024 will further inspire our youth toward science and technology.”

BASIS President Russell T. Ahmed began his speech by honoring the martyrs of the student-led mass uprising for a new Bangladesh. He said, “gratitude to the sacrifices of individuals like Rangpur’s Abu Sayed, Dhaka’s freelancer Mugdha, and drone-maker Tanvin, we have the new Bangladesh of today. Now, it’s time to build a prosperous nation. NASA Space Apps Challenge is a small step in this journey. Through this challenge, you have the responsibility to fulfil the unfinished dreams of people like Sayed, Mugdha, and Tanvin. Whenever we see one of you raising the Bangladesh flag high at NASA, it fills our hearts with pride. BASIS has been organizing this event for 11 consecutive years, and in the past six years, we’ve been world champions four times, including three consecutive wins. I believe this time, you will bring home three global championships.”

In 2018, the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology’s ‘Team Olik’ became world champions in the ‘Best Use of Data’ category with their ‘Lunar VR Project,’ which allowed users to experience a virtual journey to the moon. In 2021, the combined team from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) and Bangladesh Army University of Engineering and Technology (BAUET), known as ‘Team Mohakash,’ won the global title in the ‘Best Mission Concept’ category. In 2022, ‘Team Diamonds’ secured the global championship in the ‘Most Inspirational’ category, while in 2023, ‘Team Voyagers’ claimed the ‘Best Storytelling’ category.

However, after 36 hours of non-stop hacking, the closing ceremony will be held tomorrow, Saturday, October 5, 2024, at 6:00 PM at AIUB. Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud, Advisor for the Interim Government on Planning and Education, will attend as the Chief Guest, while Nadia Anwar, Founding Member and Chairperson of the AIUB Board of Trustees, will be present as the Guest of Honor.