Thinking, learning, analyzing, and making judgments were once thought to be exclusively human abilities. Humans were thought to be unique in their capacity to integrate experience, emotion, and intelligence. However, that idea has been called into question by the astounding advancements in science. The world is currently experiencing a technological transformation that has never been seen before. Our lives are continuously changing due to the new discoveries that are made every day, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the center of this change.
The Artificial Intelligence Olympiad was first hosted in Bangladesh in 2024 at the University of Dhaka’s Institute of Information Technology. The Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN) started this competition after joining the global network. The national round of the “Bangladesh Artificial Intelligence Olympiad 2025” was conducted at the Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) on May 17th, carrying on the tradition.
The Olympiad, which focused on student engagement, had two unique and thought-provoking contests: the “Programming and Machine Learning Contest” and the “AI Quiz Competition.” On May 2 and 3, 2025, the Programming and Machine Learning Contest held its regional round. Students got the chance to showcase machine learning-related projects, address real-world problems using algorithms, and show off how technology can be used practically in a variety of situations during this round.
However, on May 10, 2025, the “AI Quiz Competition” was held as an online preliminary round. 171 students made it to the national stage of the programming contest and 235 students took part in the quiz contest as a result of these two selection stages. Participants were drawn from a variety of educational institutions in Bangladesh, including public and private schools, colleges, technical education board institutes, and institutions that followed the British curriculum. This range of involvement amply illustrates how students nationwide are becoming more interested in and proficient in the field of artificial intelligence.
In addition to the primary events, students got the chance to learn more about artificial intelligence and ask questions during a special Q&A session called “Living in the AI Era.” A practical course centered on Kaggle, a well-known platform for learning data science and machine learning worldwide, came next.
A vibrant cultural program, award ceremony, and closing session were held later in the day. Bangladesh’s first International Mathematical Olympiad silver medallist, Dhananjay Biswas, gave a special motivational talk before the closing ceremony got underway. His participation and interaction with the attendees gave the event a special and unforgettable touch. Twelve students from the Machine Learning competition and twenty from the AI Quiz were declared the champions and given their prizes during the prize-giving ceremony. Labib Shahriar took first place, Abdullah Zobayer placed second, and Md. Rishat Islam placed third in the Bangladesh Artificial Intelligence Olympiad 2025.
Several notable guests graced the occasion with their presence, and their involvement and insights greatly enhanced the event. Professor Dr. Mohammad Kaykobad from BRAC University’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE); Professor Dr. B. M. Mainul Hossain, Director of the Institute of Information Technology and Team Leader of the Bangladesh AI Olympiad (BdAIO); Munir Hasan, President of the Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN); Professor Shanti Narayan Ghosh, Director of IQAC and BRIC at BUBT; Assistant Professor Md. Saifur Rahman, Chair of the Department of Computer Engineering at BUBT; and M. Rezaul Hasan, Managing Director of RevChat and the event’s primary sponsor.
Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN) and Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) collaborated to organize the competition. Leading technology firms in the nation, such as Brain Station 23, Intelligent Machines, Creative IT Institute, and RevChat, generously sponsored the 2025 edition. The collaboration between science periodical BigganChinta and well-known youth magazine Kishor Alo enhanced the event even further. The Olympiad was more successful, impactful, and lively as a result of their joint cooperation and support.