In 2021, Shahi Al Sadat stepped onto the stage as the newly appointed captain of his school’s debate team, representing his institution in a nationwide Bengali debate competition organised by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Public Administration.
Only moments into his speech, he unknowingly repeated the word “so” twenty-eight times.
The audience noticed immediately. Laughter echoed through the auditorium, and the incident quickly spread beyond the competition venue. Videos of the speech circulated widely on social media, triggering memes, mockery and persistent cyberbullying. Before long, many people who had never met him recognised him only by an unwanted nickname: “SO Sadat.”
What appeared to be a single public mistake soon evolved into a deeply difficult period of his life. The online ridicule severely affected his confidence, and each new notification became another reminder of the incident. As the criticism intensified, he gradually distanced himself from public activities.
Throughout that challenging time, Sadat found strength in his childhood friend, Nishi. He recalls that she constantly reminded him that one mistake should never determine the course of a person’s future. Together, they began discussing how their own experience could be transformed into something meaningful that could support other young people facing similar hardships.
Those conversations inspired the creation of TeenX on 2 June 2021, initially as a youth-led initiative dedicated to preventing cyberbullying, promoting digital safety and supporting children experiencing online harassment.
The organisation’s mission, however, changed dramatically after another life-altering tragedy.
Nishi later became a victim of sexual violence and subsequently lost her life.
According to Sadat, the tragedy fundamentally reshaped both his personal purpose and the future of TeenX. What had begun as an initiative focused primarily on cyberbullying expanded into a broader child protection platform addressing teenage rape, child sexual exploitation, online abuse, human trafficking and violence against children.
Over the past five years, TeenX has evolved into a technology-driven organisation working to strengthen child safety through innovation, education and community engagement. Its programmes include school awareness campaigns, community outreach, workshops on cyber safety, digital responsibility, violence prevention, anti-harassment education, legal awareness and adolescent mental well-being.
The organisation says its awareness initiatives and victim referral support have encouraged survivors and families to seek legal assistance and report abuse. TeenX also states that its advocacy and reporting efforts have contributed to investigations that resulted in the arrest of seven individuals accused in rape-related cases, demonstrating how youth-led initiatives can help strengthen accountability within communities.
Now a Class XI student at St Joseph Higher Secondary School in Dhaka, Sadat has received both national and international recognition for his contributions to social innovation and child protection.
He was honoured with the National Tech Award 2024 for technology-driven social innovation. In 2025, he received the PBIF International Business Award, 71 Media Iconic Award, Star Bangladesh Award, South Asian Excellence Award and Global Excellence Award. In 2026, he earned the Global Iconic Award, while Team TeenX won a Gold Medal at the WICE 2026 National Round Bangladesh for its innovation and contribution to social impact.
Earlier, Sadat was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize 2024, one of the world’s most prestigious recognitions celebrating young people advancing children’s rights.
Working alongside educational institutions, youth volunteers and community partners, TeenX says it has reached thousands of students across Bangladesh through programmes promoting child protection, cyber safety, digital citizenship, legal literacy and mental health awareness.
Looking back, Sadat believes the experience that once brought him national embarrassment ultimately became the catalyst for a larger purpose.
“What once felt like the worst moment of my life eventually became the beginning of a mission to ensure that no child has to face violence, exploitation or abuse without support,” he said.
As Bangladesh continues addressing the growing challenges of gender-based violence, online abuse and child exploitation, initiatives such as TeenX demonstrate how personal experience, youth leadership and technology can be combined to promote child protection and inspire positive social change.