Young Bangla, a youth platform of the NGO Centre for Research and Information (CRI), presented prizes to the top ten winners of the Joy Bangla Youth Award 2017 on Saturday.
The top ten is comprised of the Barisal Youth Society, I Positive, Swapna Dekho Social Welfare Organisation, Durbar Foundation, Jumphul Theatre, Theatre Murari Chad, Kaktarua, Wheel Chair Cricket Welfare Association Bangladesh (WCWAB), Rangatungi United Women Football Academy and Choupash Natyanchal.
The Barisal Youth Society was founded in 2014, with the vision of stopping violence against women and ensuring education for them.
I Positive, based in Thakurgaon, extends support to students regarding ICT training, career planning, educational materials and consultations.
The Jessore-based Swapna Dekho Social Welfare Organisation, founded by Zahir Iqbal Nannu in March 2013, has conducted a number of humanitarian projects in addition to supporting 21 physically challenged children and organising debate competitions in 87 educational institutions.
The Durbar Foundation was founded in Comilla in 2014 to rehabilitate street children living in or around the railway station in the Comilla South Sadar region.
The Jumphul Theatre in Rangamati was founded in 2015, aims to spread a new wave of culture in Bangladesh by training cultural activists at the college and university levels.
The Theatre Murari Chad, founded in Sylhet in 2013, strives to enhance social development through a cultural movement.
Also based in Sylhet, Kaktarua arms its members with cameras to showcase any and all types of discrimination in society, and raise social awareness.
WCWAB, based in Gazipur and founded in 2015, tries to make physically challenged people realise that they are bigger than their limitations by providing people with physical disabilities training in cricket and all necessary sports materials.
Rangatungi United Women Football Academy in Rangpur was formed in 2014, with a vision to train underprivileged girls in football. The club is playing a crucial role in ensuring women’s empowerment.
Finally, Bogra’s Choupash Natyanchal, established in 2013, stages a drama every month with the view to catalysing a cultural movement. Their street drama “White Ant,” based on the Liberation War of Bangladesh, has touched many hearts.
Swapna Dekho founder Zahir Iqbal Nannu told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are trying to change the life of young people. Locals, political leaders and law enforcement agencies helped us in this work.
“I am very grateful to Young Bangla for today’s award. We hope, Young Bangla will continue to help the youth who want to make Bangladesh better.”
Hanna Hemram, founder of Rangatungi United Women Football Academy, urged Young Bangla to continue supporting women’s football and said: “In the near future, Rangatungi United Women Football Academy will provide lots of footballers for the Bangladesh National Women’s Football team.”
Md Mohsin, founder of WCWAB, asked for support from those in attendance for an upcoming Tri-nation wheelchair cricket tournament in Nepal and said: “People like me are the symbol of a digital Bangladesh. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, I am able to connect and communicate with the whole country through Facebook.”
The winners were awarded at Sheikh Hasina National Youth Centre in Savar on Saturday. Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu were present at the ceremony.
Radwan Mujib Siddiq, son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, various MPs and leaders of youth organisations were also in attendance.
Prizes included laptops personally sponsored by State Minister Palak, “We” phones from Amra and prize money from Microsoft.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
