Hello, I am Labib Shahriar, the Champion of the Bangladesh Artificial Intelligence Olympiad 2025, in the Programming and Machine Learning category.
Technology and mathematics have always been more than just subjects for me, they’ve been my passion, my curiosity, my comfort zone. And when we talk about technology, how can we not talk about Artificial Intelligence, the defining force of the future.
My journey into AI began when the Bangladesh Artificial Intelligence Olympiad 2024 was first announced. I was in Class 8 at that time, just a curious kid with big dreams. But after participating in that first Olympiad, something changed. I didn’t just like AI, I fell in love with it. I wanted to understand it, build with it, challenge it. But the path wasn’t easy.
At that age, the mathematical formulas, complex algorithms, and abstract concepts felt like an entirely new language. Many times, I felt lost. But every time I stumbled, my father, Reazul Hoque, was there, patiently breaking down the math for me, piece by piece. My heartfelt thanks to him, and to my mentors and teachers, who believed in me even when I doubted myself.
I started researching, experimenting, watching lectures, and reading technical documents, sometimes for hours and hours without a break. Eight to ten hours of AI study every single day, along with managing my academic studies, had become my routine for the past eight months. And it wasn’t just hard work, it was a journey of passion and perseverance.
When the results were being announced, my heart was pounding. I had never imagined hearing my name. Then they said, "Labib Shahriar, the Champion." For a few seconds, it didn’t feel real. But in that moment, I realized something important: the effort was worth it, not because I won, but because I discovered a version of myself even I didn’t know existed.
I want to express my gratitude to Bangladesh Artificial Intelligence Olympiad, Bangladesh Open Source Network (BDOSN), and Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) for organizing such a visionary event. You didn’t just hold a competition, you lit a fire inside me and many others.