Russian House in Dhaka Showcases Expanding Educational, Youth and Cultural Cooperation with Bangladesh at Half-Year Press Conference

Photo: CNI

Diplomatic Correspondent: The Russian House in Dhaka on Tuesday held its half-year press conference, highlighting the significant progress made during the first half of 2026 in strengthening educational, scientific, cultural and youth cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh.

The event brought together representatives of Bangladeshi media, educational institutions, students, and participants of various Russian international programmes to review recent achievements and outline upcoming opportunities for collaboration.

Opening the conference, Alexandra Khlevnoy, Director of the Russian House in Dhaka, emphasized the steady expansion of bilateral educational cooperation. She announced that the annual quota under the Russian Government Scholarship Programme for Bangladeshi students has increased from 65 scholarships in 2018 to 200 scholarships in 2026, offering greater access to higher education in Russia.

The audience also heard from Farzana Yeasmin, a recipient of the Russian Government Scholarship currently pursuing a Master's degree in Global and Digital Media at RUDN University in Moscow. Joining virtually, she shared her academic journey, student life experiences, and the opportunities available to international students in Russia.

A major focus of the presentation was Russia's fully funded international youth programmes, which enable outstanding Bangladeshi students and young professionals to participate in educational, scientific and cultural events.

The conference highlighted Bangladesh's participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026, where five Bangladeshi representatives attended through Russia's international youth initiatives. Participants Md Syed Raihan Ul Islam of Daffodil International University, Md Towhid Bin Shafi and Sakib Asad Khan of Canadian University of Bangladesh, and Dr Barek Kaiser of the University of Development Alternative shared their experiences, describing the professional knowledge, international networking and broader perspectives they gained during the forum.

Khlevnoy also introduced several prestigious initiatives under Russia's New Generation Programme, including the World Youth Festival and the Eastern Economic Forum, which provide fully funded opportunities for young leaders from Bangladesh to engage in international educational and cultural exchanges.

Another highlight was the International Conference "Children for Peace," where six Bangladeshi school students earned the opportunity to participate after successfully completing a competitive selection process. The programme brought together young participants from around the world to promote peace, intercultural dialogue and international friendship.

The Director also presented opportunities available through the Open Dialogue programme and the InteRussia Fellowship Programme for Journalists, both of which are fully funded international initiatives. She congratulated Jinnat Ara Jasoa, an alumna of Daffodil International University, for being selected to participate in the InteRussia Fellowship Programme for Journalists.

Speaking about Rosatom's international scientific initiative, "Icebreaker of Knowledge," Khlevnoy noted that Bangladesh produced winners in both 2025 and 2026, allowing talented students to join a fully funded scientific expedition to the North Pole aboard Russia's nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy.

The conference also celebrated the remarkable achievements of Bangladeshi students in various international academic competitions organized with Russian partners, including the Financial Security Olympiad, Open World Astronomy Olympiad, International Junior Science Olympiad, Open Biology Olympiad and Open Environmental Olympiad.

Special attention was given to the Open International Biology Olympiad 2026 held at the Sirius Federal Territory, where Team Bangladesh became the Project Round Winner. In addition, Taseen Mohammad of BIAM Model School and College won an individual Bronze Medal, further enhancing Bangladesh's reputation in international scientific competitions.

Taseen Mohammad also addressed the conference, sharing his experience of representing Bangladesh at the Olympiad and describing Russia's advanced educational environment. As the official representative of several Russian international Olympiads in Bangladesh, he outlined his initiatives to encourage greater participation of Bangladeshi students in global academic competitions.

Educational and linguistic cooperation also featured prominently during the event. Khlevnoy announced that Russian language specialists from Saint Petersburg and RUDN University are expected to return in August 2026 to continue offering free Russian language courses at Daffodil International University, North South University, Stamford University Bangladesh and the State University of Bangladesh.

The Director further highlighted the Russian House's expanding cultural and sports diplomacy, including cooperation through the One Run international race, ethnosport activities, film festivals, exhibitions, concerts, youth exchanges and cultural events aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries.

The conference concluded with a presentation by Sofia Kutepova, Attaché and Press Secretary of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bangladesh, on the theme "The Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia." She highlighted Russia's multicultural society, emphasizing the importance of unity, mutual respect and intercultural dialogue among the country's diverse nationalities and religious communities.

The event reflected Russia's continued commitment to expanding cooperation with Bangladesh across education, youth engagement, science, culture and public diplomacy while creating greater opportunities for Bangladeshi students and professionals to participate in international programmes.