Natore Correspondent 

The 12th National Science Debate Festival was held in Natore under the slogan 'Debate means logic, freedom in science', jointly organized by Bangladesh Freedom Foundation (BFF) and Dainik Samakal.

The event was held in a festive atmosphere at the city's Nabbidhan Girls' High School on Sunday  morning. Shahjalal Islami Bank PLC was the power buyer for the event.

Six teams from six educational institutions in the district participated in the competition. At the end of the day-long debate competition, Collectorate Public School and College emerged as the champion. Natore Sugar Mills Girls High School was the runner-up. Umme Saima Sheikh, a ninth-grade student from the champion team, was selected as the best debater

The institutions participating in the competition are Natore Government Boys' High School, Nabbidhan Girls' High School, Police Lines School and College, Collectorate Public School and College, Natore Sugar Mills Girls' High School and Banalata Girls' School.
Actor Khairul Alam Sabuj was present as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony held at 10 am. Bird expert Enamul Haque was also present at the ceremony.
Later, at the closing and award ceremony, presided over by Samakal's Natore correspondent Kamrul Islam, District Secondary Education Officer Rostam Ali Helali spoke as the chief guest. He highlighted the importance of debating in developing scientific mindset and logical thinking in students.

The judges were Associate Professor Enamul Haque, Associate Professor Khaled Parvez, Assistant Professor Farazi Ahmed Rafiq Baban, Lecturer Masuma Sultana, Principal (retd) Abdur Razzak and Editor Altab Hossain of Victoria Public Library, Natore Rani Bhabani Government Women's College. Subidha Kumar Moitra served as the moderator.

The closing and award distribution ceremony was also attended by Nabbidhan High School Girls' School Principal Biman Govinda Sarkar, Assistant Teacher Jasmine Akhter, Samakal Lalpur Representative Md. Ashiqur Rahman, Singra Representative Abdur Rashid, Samakal Suhrid Sambal Editor Samiul Sunny, and over a hundred parents and students.

At the end of the ceremony, certificates and crests were presented to the students of the champion and runner-up teams. The students of the winning team expressed their excitement and expressed their determination to do better at the national level in the future.