Team Sisimpur Crowned Champions of EconProdigy 7.0
On November 10th, North South University (NSU) illuminated the occasion as it hosted the grand finale of EconProdigy 7.0, one of the largest policy-making competitions organized by The Young Economists’ Forum, with participants across various universities such Jahangirnagar University (JU) and even Brac University. Sabbir Ahmed Kabbo (Junior, CSE) from BracU, with his team Sisimpur, which included Mohamed Raghib Mahtab Patwary (NSU), Shehra Tahreem Amin (JU), and Muhammad Rayhanul Hasan Sifat (JU), was crowned the champion of EconProdigy 7.0, winning the grand prize of Tk. 1 lakh and 50 thousand. Their dynamic teamwork and solid policy ideas secured their victory.
This year, EconProdigy 7.0 embraced the theme “Equity – Inclusivity – Sustainability, ” encouraging students to devise better policies for Bangladesh. The competition comprised three challenging stages. Contestants had to understand the issues, debate their ideas, and ultimately present final solutions. This process fostered their growth as better economists, making the theme more meaningful.
After reaching the finals, they addressed five national issues: healthcare, income inequality, climate challenges, land violations affecting ethnic minorities, and the underrepresentation of women in managerial roles. They proposed a strict three-year timeline and a limited budget, aiming to reform existing policies in a realistic manner that is conducive to implementation. According to Sabbir, “We carefully analysed the case, identified the core problems and developed robust economic solutions aligned with national policies.”
Sabbir remarked that the team’s chemistry was instrumental in their success. “Everyone was so reliable and competent that we were actually playing video games during the finals,” he said. He also described how winning the competition felt surreal. He added, “I once failed eighth-grade Economics, and now I won EconProdigy thanks to my brilliant teammates”. Asthe auditorium chanted Sisimpur before the results were announced, the team felt “confident, validated, deserving, and different.”
