15 organisations to get Joy Bangla Youth Award this year

As the hype of the Joy Bangla Youth Award (JBYA) is on full blast, the jury panel has revealed that 15 youth-led organisations are going to claim the award on Monday (20 December).

Inspecting 750 entries from youth-led organisations whose services transformed their communities, the jury had primarily selected 31; as they pass the application through the further sift, the number of final winners came down to 15, said a press release. 

The vibrance of this year's JBYA resonates with the 50th year of the country's independence. The young changemakers who silently transformed their communities are now waiting with the bated breath for the final announcement.

Recorded speeches of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also the chairperson of CRI, will be played during the event. This year, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, a trustee of CRI, is going to hand over Joy Bangla Youth 2021 award to the young champions of change.

Calling for entries on 25 September , Young Bangla, which operates under the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), continued to receive applications from young changemakers across the country till 31 October.

The entries were put under a microscope by a high-octane jury - Bangladesh Liberation War Museum Founder Trustee Mofidul Hoque, former Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman, MP Nahim Razzaq, Entrepreneur Achia Khaleda Nila, Entrepreneur Zara Mahbub, Conservationist Shahriar Caesar Rahman, Filmmaker Rezwan Shahriar Sumit, Entrepreneur Shornolota Roy, and Journalist Porimol Palma.

Named after the fiery wartime slogan Joy Bangla that united the nation against the occupation forces of Pakistan 50 years ago, Joy Bangla Youth Award is conferred every two years on the youths who are changing the social paradigm by working in different parts of the country – even in remote areas, the press release added. 

This year the interval has been shortened down to one year to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh.  According to the jury panel of this year, Joy Bangla Youth Award winners hold the potential to contribute to not just the country but the world as well.

Joy Bangla Youth Award was set off in 2014 to recognise the youths working to stop child marriage, educate underprivileged children, and help distressed people.

Over the years, new fields were added as the criteria for applying. The aim of this event is not just awarding the young changemakers but also grooming them, helping them network among themselves, and connecting them with policymakers.

In the last couple of years, a handful of awardees, owing to the support provided by the platform, even got internationally acclaimed. People who have contributed to respective fields in the space of the last 50 years will also be recognized, which is a new addition this year.