Summary:
- Three Bangladeshi university robotics teams (RUET, IUT, MIST) were barred from the International Rover Challenge 2025 finals in India due to sudden visa rejections despite valid invitations.
- Teams faced unprecedented bureaucratic demands, including No Objection Certificates from India’s External Affairs Ministry, after initially approved documentation.
- Rajshahi’s Team Ogrodoot and Dhaka’s Project Altair lost participation opportunities despite ranking 6th globally in 2024 and winning specialized categories.
- Indian consular officials delayed visa processing timelines, with rejected students calling the actions “disrespectful” to international academic collaboration.
Three Bangladeshi university teams selected for the International Rover Challenge (IRC) 2025 finals in Goa, India, faced devastating visa rejections, halting their participation in the prestigious robotics competition held January 28–February 2. Teams from Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) and Islamic University of Technology (IUT) reported systemic bureaucratic hurdles despite formal invitations from organizers.
Team Ogrodoot (RUET) saw all 15 visa applications rejected, while Project Altair (IUT) received only three approvals despite requiring 10 members for rover assembly. Military Institute of Science and Technology’s Team Mongol Barota did not apply for visas. “This unprofessional and disrespectful action wasted our efforts and undermined international collaboration,” said Project Altair’s Rodoshe Mou, citing full documentation submissions[1].
Indian authorities demanded unprecedented paperwork, including No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from India’s Ministry of External Affairs—a 30–50 day process—after initially accepting institutional NOCs. Team Ogrodoot leader S M Shafayet Jamil called the requirements “an excuse for negligence,” noting procedural delays at India’s Rajshahi consulate[1].
The teams had cleared four selection rounds since September 2024, with Project Altair ranking sixth overall in IRC 2024 and winning its astrobiology segment. “Months of dedication went unrecognized due to bureaucracy,” said Ogrodoot co-lead Md Jubair Ahamed, highlighting impacts on Bangladesh’s rising robotics profile[1].
IRC organizers have not commented on the visa denials, which prevented Bangladesh from building on its growing success in global rover competitions.
Source: The Daily Star
