With two silver and two bronze models, two honorary recognitions and a collective score of 111, Bangladesh's performance in the prestigious International Mathematical Olympiad is an apt reminder that if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Not only did the six-member team perform exceedingly well in the contest for pre-college students, making Bangladesh the top-scoring nation in South Asia but falling short of necessary points to be in the top 25, it also saw the country climb eight places up the global rankings on the strength of this performance. Our heartiest congratulations to those students who made it possible. 

But this was no overnight success. It took years of hard work, meticulous planning and steadfast determination for Bangladesh to be in the position that it is now—a success model that delivered within just 13 years of its foray into the global contest. Students participating in the Olympiad are selected through a series of local contests organised by the privately-funded Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad Committee, a process meant to scout out and groom mathematical talents from across the country. 

Such initiatives give us hope at a time when there are fears the students are losing interest in mathematics and standard sciences. The fact that private actors are stepping in to change the scenario is encouraging, but we also need the government to play an active role in this regard. It should take the lead when it comes to organising such initiatives, and create an environment in which the students would feel encouraged to take up sciences.