Dhaka Hosts 18th National Mental Arithmetic Competition 2026

Bangla Press Desk:  Aloha Bangladesh organised the 18th National Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition 2026 on 3-4 April at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital, with the participation of more than 3,400 students from around 600 schools nationwide.

The two-day event aimed to test the speed and accuracy of children trained in mental arithmetic. Participants were required to solve 70 complex mathematical problems within five minutes, and many students reportedly completed all the sums with 100% accuracy within the allotted time, said a press release.The competition began on the first day with the national anthem, followed by the inauguration by Loh Mun Sung, founder of Aloha Mental Arithmetic.After the opening session, students took part in the five-minute examination in four different batches.

On the second day, prizes were distributed among the winners. The award ceremony was attended by Loh Mun Sung as the chief guest, while special guests included Kiran Matwani, international director of Aloha Mental Arithmetic; Dr Abdelouahab Saidani, ambassador of Algeria to Bangladesh; Dr Md Sabur Khan, chairman of Daffodil Group; and representatives from Aloha Cambodia.

Md Ali Haider Chowdhury, managing director of Aloha Bangladesh, delivered the welcome speech, while Saiful Karim, chairman of Aloha Bangladesh, chaired the session. Director Shamsuddin Tipu was also present.

In his speech, Ali Haider Chowdhury said the organisation is working to help shape the future of Bangladesh by developing children’s cognitive skills and preparing them as future leaders.

International Director Kiran Matwani thanked the parents for encouraging their children to participate, saying their support plays an important role in the development of young learners.

Algerian Ambassador Dr Abdelouahab Saidani highlighted the importance of such competitions, saying they help children explore their potential and demonstrate exceptional mental calculation skills through abacus techniques.

The programme also included a cultural performance by Kadamati. At the end of the event, results were announced and prizes were distributed among the winners.

Omnicare Diagnostic Limited supported the event as healthcare partner, while Hashtag Communication Ltd. served as the event and strategic partner. Selected winners will participate in the Aloha International Competition 2026 to be held in Panama.

Aloha Bangladesh has been operating in the country since 2006. The ISO-certified learning programme currently serves more than six million students in 42 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, China, India, Malaysia, and Bangladesh.