BioCity: Youth for Urban Wetland Revival is a youth-driven idea competition initiated by WaterAid, with support from the Embassy of Sweden, to address the alarming decline of urban wetlands. Focused on the restoration and biodiversity enhancement of the IPH Pond, Mohakhali, the competition engages young minds (Age: 18-30) to propose innovative and sustainable solutions for wetland revival and biodiversity enhancement.
The initiative sparked huge enthusiasm, drawing interest from over 1,500 individuals and resulting in 140 team submissions, each consisting of 3-5 members. To support participants in refining their ideas, two interactive knowledge-sharing sessions were held, where experts in biodiversity and wetland restoration shared their insights and experiences in tackling urban ecological challenges.
After the rigorous screening process, 11 finalist teams were selected to advance to the Grand Finale, held on 19 March 2025 at Amari Dhaka, Gulshan. These teams had the opportunity to present their ideas in front of a distinguished jury panel, which was led by Mr Iqbal Habib, Vice President of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA). The jury also included Commodore A B M Shamsul Alam, Chief Waste Management Officer, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC); Mr Mostafizur Rahman, Programme Officer – Climate and Environment, Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh; Dr Nehreen Majed, Professor and Head, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Asia Pacific; and Dr Haseeb Irfanullah, Independent Consultant in Environment, Climate Change, and Research System.
Following an intensive evaluation process, the jury selected one winning team and three honourable mentions, recognising the most promising and impactful ideas for wetland restoration. The winning proposal will be implemented on-site, allowing young innovators to see their vision come to life and contribute directly to the revival of the IPH Pond. In addition, all finalist ideas have been showcased on WaterAid Bangladesh’s social media for public engagement. The competition also introduced a Popular Choice Award, where the public had the opportunity to vote for their favourite idea. With over 7,500 engagements, the most popular teams- Water-yard, Ecoplanners and Eqinox were crowned the winners of the Most Loved Ideas.
Water-Yard was chosen the winner for their excellent proposal that envisions the IPH Pond as a thriving ecological and community space where biodiversity conservation goes hand in hand with social engagement. If successfully implemented, it will provide significant benefits to the Sattala community while creating a sanctuary for aquatic life in the heart of the city. The design incorporates wetland farming, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the intervention, and integrates gender-inclusive spaces and dense vegetation layers to increase climate resilience.
