The 17th Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad, the biggest math competition in the country, ended at St Joseph Higher Secondary School in Dhaka yesterday amid much enthusiasm and excitement.

A total of 84 students out of 1,226 participants were announced winners at the Olympiad, including the top winner -- Saumitra Das, an HSC student of Faridpur Government Rajendra College.

He got "Champion of the Olympiad Medal-2019" bagging the highest 64 marks in the quiz, apart from being the champion in higher secondary category.

In the primary category, Nowshin Afia Jahan, a student of Rangpur's BIAM Laboratory School top-scored, while Sudipto Sagor Neel of Udayan Higher Secondary School was the top-scorer among boys. Amlan De Bhowmik of Mymensingh Zilla School in junior category and Maruf Hossen Ruber of the same school in secondary category secured the top scores. Besides, Josephite Math Club got the best club award this year.

Among the winners, 40 students will take part in a "math camp" in Dhaka, from which selected students will represent the country at the International Math Olympiad in United Kingdom (UK) scheduled to be held in July, organisers said.

Yesterday, the second day of the festival began at around 9am.

Speaking at the ceremony, Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad Committee President Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury said the prime aim of this event is to strengthen students' foundation of mathematics. "Spontaneous participations of students can fulfill our aim," he said.

Among others, eminent writer Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, Bangladesh Math Olympiad team coach Mahbub Majumdar and Chief Operating Officer of Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL) Ahteshamul Haque Khan were present.

Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad Committee (BdMOC), in association with Bangla daily Prothom Alo and DBBL, has been organising the event since 2001 to make math more popular among students.

Earlier last month, more than 1,400 students were selected for the national competition through a total of 12 regional competitions. This year, for the first time, the Olympiad was held in all 64 districts of the country.