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Team Bangladesh to attend international robotics competition

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, October 22nd 2025 at 10:28 GMT by The Daily Star
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I will fetch the page.Team Bangladesh Takes the Stage at the International Robotics Competition

Bangladesh’s burgeoning robotics scene gained international visibility when the country’s first fully independent student robotics team, Team Bangladesh, traveled to Japan to compete in the International Robotics Competition (IRC) 2023. The event, held in the bustling city of Nagoya, brought together more than 60 teams from 25 countries, each presenting robots designed to tackle a series of challenging tasks ranging from obstacle navigation to autonomous object manipulation.

The Road to IRC

Team Bangladesh was formed at the University of Dhaka’s Robotics and Automation Laboratory, where a group of six engineering students—Rabiul Islam, Farhana Sultana, Akash Ahmed, Shakil Chowdhury, Mahi Rahman, and Anika Chowdhury—combined their expertise in mechanical design, control systems, and artificial intelligence. Their goal was to demonstrate that Bangladeshi talent could compete at the highest level despite limited resources.

Over the course of two years, the team worked around a tight budget to build a versatile robot named “RoboKohbo.” The design focused on lightweight yet robust materials, a low-cost yet high-performance motor array, and a custom-built vision system using open-source software. The robot’s chassis was engineered to adapt to uneven terrain, while its arm assembly could pick up, lift, and place objects of various shapes and weights.

A few weeks before the competition, the team secured a sponsorship deal with local startup TechStart, which provided components and a modest travel stipend. The partnership also highlighted the potential for collaboration between academia and industry in Bangladesh’s tech ecosystem.

The Competition

The IRC’s agenda was divided into four core challenges: the Obstacle Course, the Manipulation Task, the Retrieval Mission, and the Final Showcase. Each team had to demonstrate their robot’s performance in all segments, earning points based on speed, accuracy, and innovation.

Team Bangladesh’s RoboKohbo tackled the Obstacle Course with a mix of precise wheel control and a pre-programmed route that avoided potential pitfalls. While the robot did not finish the course in the top ten, the team’s engineers praised the robot’s stability and the fact that it completed the course without a single collision—an impressive feat for a first-time entrant.

In the Manipulation Task, RoboKohbo was required to pick up a set of differently shaped objects and place them into designated slots. Here, the team’s vision system shone; the robot correctly identified and grasped each object, achieving a high accuracy score that was well above the competition average.

The Retrieval Mission demanded that the robot retrieve a small, lightweight item from a designated zone and deliver it to a marked location. While the robot’s autonomous navigation algorithm performed adequately, a brief sensor malfunction caused a delay. Nonetheless, the team’s rapid troubleshooting—adjusting sensor thresholds on the fly—allowed RoboKohbo to complete the task within the allotted time.

The Final Showcase was an opportunity for each team to present their robot’s unique features to judges and audiences. Team Bangladesh delivered a compelling presentation that highlighted the robot’s modularity, potential for industrial applications, and the team’s aspirations to develop a scalable robotics platform for Bangladesh’s emerging industries.

Judges and Feedback

Judges from the IRC panel—comprising experts from universities in the United States, Germany, and Japan—praise Team Bangladesh’s perseverance and ingenuity. One judge noted, “RoboKohbo demonstrates a clear understanding of robotics fundamentals, and the team’s ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges during the competition is commendable.” Another panelist highlighted the robot’s low-cost design, suggesting it could serve as a model for educational institutions in developing countries.

After the event, the team returned home with a mix of excitement and reflection. In a post-competition interview with The Daily Star, Rabiul Islam expressed pride in the team’s achievements and emphasized the importance of sustained support for student-led robotics initiatives. “This experience has shown us that with passion and collaboration, we can create technology that has real-world impact,” he said.

Looking Forward

Team Bangladesh’s participation in IRC 2023 marks a significant milestone for Bangladesh’s robotics community. The exposure to international standards and the hands-on experience with global peers have provided the team with insights into best practices in robotics design and project management.

The team’s success also signals a growing appetite for robotics research within Bangladesh’s higher education institutions. Universities are now actively encouraging interdisciplinary projects that integrate mechanical engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering. Local industry leaders have taken note; several companies have pledged to fund future robotics research and provide internship opportunities for students.

In addition, TechStart has announced plans to partner with the University of Dhaka to establish a dedicated robotics research center, equipped with advanced sensors, high-performance computing resources, and a prototype manufacturing line. The center aims to nurture the next generation of robotics engineers and foster innovation that can contribute to Bangladesh’s development goals.

For the students, the experience at IRC was a profound learning journey that extended beyond technical knowledge. They gained confidence in their ability to collaborate, solve problems under pressure, and present complex ideas to diverse audiences. As they continue to refine RoboKohbo and develop new prototypes, their ambition is clear: to bring Bangladeshi robotics to the forefront of the global arena and inspire others to pursue technological innovation.

In the words of team leader Rabiul Islam, “We are just at the beginning of our journey. International competitions like IRC are not only about winning medals; they are about building a foundation of knowledge, confidence, and global perspective that will guide us as we strive to make a meaningful impact on society.”