The first-ever Smart Bangladesh Run 2024 race competition took place in Dhaka Friday amid a festive atmosphere.
It was organized by Aspire to Innovate-a2i and ICT Divison with the theme "Step into the Future: Run for Mission 2041."
The event was organized to promote a healthy lifestyle for citizens, build a smart nation, and raise awareness and enthusiasm for the Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041 among the citizens.
The ceremony was graced by Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, as the chief guest.
Held at Hatirjheel, the race began at 6am in front of amphitheater and ended there after covering a distance of 7.5km around the entire area.
A total of 2,041 amateur runners participated in the event in four categories: women, men, over-50s, and people with disabilities.
The 7.5km category had separate events for women, men, and runners over 50 years old. The 1km category was for runners with disabilities.
The winners of the event were determined by a chip timing system.
After the race, Palak and other guests presented the awards to the winners. He also announced that this kind of race would be organized regularly in future.
A total of 19 winners in four categories were awarded cash prizes, certificates and medals. All the runners were given race jerseys and medals.
Md Imran Hasan became the champion in the men's category, Hamida Akhter Jeba finished as the winner in the women's category, Md Wahab Khan emerged as the champion in the over-50 category while Abu Rayhan, Shihab Biswas and Jannatul Naeem were champions respectively in three categories (wheel chair, visually impaired and hearing and speech impaired).
Palak participated in the 7.5km catagory to motivate the runners. He finished the race in 68 minutes when the target was 75 minutes.
The Minister expressed hope that "Smart Bangladesh Run 2024" will play a role in fulfilling the 2041 goals.
He said: “We are an invincible nation. We proved it in the language movement of 1952, we proved it in the great liberation war of 1971. Under the leadership of the father of the nation, Bangabandhu, we protected the dignity of the mother tongue, we achieved independent sovereign Bangladesh through the nine-month liberation war. To fulfill the vision of building a Smart Bangladesh by 2041, which has been given by our Honorable Prime Minister, we have to be prepared with a healthy, progressive and non-communal mindset."
He added: “Smart Bangladesh will be for everyone. We envision a future country for all healthy, normal, especially abled, male and female, third gender. This Smart Bangladesh Run has been organized to encourage everyone. Just as the target was 75 minutes to cover 7.5km, similarly we have 17 years to achieve Smart Bangladesh target of people's leader Sheikh Hasina. Apart from contributing as an innovative, problem-solving citizen as a patriot from every place, we will make ourselves smart citizens. We will build a smart Bangladesh with healthy and merit-based Smart citizens.”
Besides, a2i's project director (joint secretary) Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, joint project director (joint secretary) Mollah Mizanur Rahman, policy advisor Anir Chowdhury, project manager Mazedul Islam, head of culture and communications Purabi Matin, among others, distinguished persons, public representatives, citizens of various classes and occupations including teachers, students, representatives of sports organizations, voluntary organizations and cultural workers were present.