Young Bangla: Recognising, grooming, connecting young changemakers

Countdown for the biggest recognition for young Bangladeshi changemakers, Joy Bangla Youth Award, is about to be over with the event on Saturday.

Young Bangla, country's biggest youth network, this year announced to hand over awards to ten outstanding organisations under five categories following a rigorous screening process for over 500 applications.

Sajeeb Wazed, chairperson of Centre for Research and Information (CRI), will hand over the awards at the ceremony – to be attended by an esteemed jury panel and a stream of country's top young achievers, former and current awardees.

As part of endeavours to revive his grandfather Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's vision of "Sonar Bangla", Sajeeb Wazed has been credited for the country's digital transformation, making Awami League's 2008-electoral promise of Digital Bangladesh a reality.

As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT adviser, Sajeeb Wazed has monitored and overseen the digitalisation of all spheres of life – from online schooling to financial transactions.

Bangladesh benefitted from that digital transformation during the coronavirus catastrophe across the world. It managed to keep its economy going through a wide spectrum of digital activities, including e-commerce, telemedicine, virtual court, and delivering money to the poor through mobile platforms.

Bangladesh's growth trajectory during the Covid-19 pandemic was much better compared to its bigger neighbours, owing to this all-encompassing digitalisation.

As the chairperson of Centre for Research and Information (CRI), Awami League's think tank, Sajeeb Wazed is realising his vision of grooming the next generation of Bangladeshi super-achievers.

With the CRI team, he launched a series of interactive programs with young Bangladeshis. Joy Bangla Youth Award — the country's first initiative to recognise, award and create a network of young changemakers – is CRI's signature programme.

Joy Bangla Youth Award has helped showcase silent but transformational initiatives – from educating street children in Dhaka to helping the poor and vulnerable tea worker communities in Sylhet.

Born amidst the turmoil of the 1971 Liberation War, Sajeeb Wazed, like his sister Saima Wazed, had to come to terms with the "Midnight Massacre" on the fateful night of 15 August, 1975, when Bangabandhu was gunned down with much of his family. Only his mother Sheikh Hasina and aunt Sheikh Rehana survived the horrific carnage.

"Hasina: A Daughter's Tale", the CRI-driven moving docu-feature showcases the horrors of that darkest chapter of the nation and the incredible transformation the country went through under Sheikh Hasina.

Since its inception in 2014, Young Bangla, the largest network of the country's youths, has become a hub of 12,500 volunteers, 2,00,000 members, and 300 youth organisations.

The goal of this platform, CRI's youth secretariat, is not just awarding or recognising the young changemakers but also helping them network, connect with policymakers, and receive proper grooming.

Owing to the support provided by Young Bangla, a couple of past awardees later earned international recognition including the prestigious Diana Award and International Children's Peace Prize.