A team of young innovators from Gazipur Agricultural University (GAU) has earned international recognition for an idea that could turn trees owned by rural families into valuable assets in the emerging climate economy. The student-led team CARBODIT has been named the Bangladesh regional champion of the CIRDAP-REEDS International Rural Development Innovation Challenge 2026 and selected among the Top Five innovations in the Asia-Pacific region. The team received its award at a ceremony marking the 47th founding anniversary of CIRDAP on July 6, where Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the then honorable Minister, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and at present president of Bangladesh presented the prize to the young innovators. Receiving the award from a prominent national leader added a memorable dimension to the team’s international achievement. Led by CEO and co-founder Saifullah Manwar, the team includes COO and co-founder Fabian Taskin, CFO Aditi Ghosh, and developer Arfa Saiyara Riza. CARBODIT was selected from 187 proposals submitted by innovators from 13 countries through an international evaluation process. The achievement has opened a new international platform for the team. CARBODIT has been formally invited to present its innovation at the Asia Pacific Conference on Innovations in Rural Development, scheduled for October 6-10, 2026, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. CARBODIT “Community-Based Digital Carbon Finance Model for Rural Empowerment” aims to collectively measure and manage the carbon value of trees owned by rural households and connect these environmental assets with global carbon markets and climate finance. The initiative also seeks to engage local youth in tree-data collection, digital management and carbon-asset development. Welcoming the achievement, GAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr GKM Mustafizur Rahman congratulated the team, saying the success reflects the university’s commitment to nurturing student. excellence and innovation with global relevance. He wished the young innovators continued success in their future endeavours.