Young Bangla (YB), the largest youth-oriented platform in the country, has featured a heavyweight jury panel for the sixth edition of the Joy Bangla Youth Award this month.
The youth awards are the flagship event of Young Bangla.
“The wait is finally over – tune-up for JBYA 2022 Award Giving Ceremony, the biggest occasion of the year,” reads a post on Young Bangla Facebook page.
Keeping in mind the extremely tough competition over the years, the organizers have put in place a panel of judges, comprising of celebrity icons, to select the best from a wide choice of achievers.
The panel consists of former Bangladesh cricket captain Mashrafee Bin Mortaza, globally acclaimed conservationist Shahriar Caesar Rahman, rising filmmaker Rezwan Shahriar Sumit, famous entrepreneur Swarnalata Roy, and the country's most celebrated film actor Jaya Ahsan, among others.
The youth award will be handed over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT Advisor and CRI Chairperson Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
With the selection for ten new award winners almost complete, the eleven-member jury showered praise on the depth and variety of the initiatives undertaken by organizations competing for the awards.
"Bettering the overwhelming response of last year, more than 500 ambassadors of change vied for this year's awards. This award, initiated through CRI, has already emerged as the most popular launching pad for young achievers, lending an optimistic outlook for the future,” said women entrepreneur Swarnalata Roy.
Another jury member, Liberation War Museum Trustee Mofidul Hoque said: "Being part of the jury board for the sixth Joy Bangla Youth Award fills my heart with immense pleasure as it reflects on our young generation who are setting the precedence for harnessing technology for people, society, and education. At the same time, they are leaving no stone unturned to ensure women empowerment."
Another eminent conservationist, who already earned global fame, Shahriar Rahman Caesar said: "I was a jury member both in 2021 and 2022. It was pretty challenging and interesting on both occasions. Throughout the country, our young people are working untiringly to overcome multiple challenges. I am proud of being part of this great occasion."
Filmmaker Rezwan Shahriar Sumit said: "This year I have got this great opportunity to be a jury member. This Joy Bangla Youth Award brings out the untold stories of young changemakers. These youths are the country's future."
Entrepreneur Zara Mahbub said: "This year we have observed that many are working in the fields of women empowerment, education, environment, and science. Congratulations to everyone who took part in the process."
"Being part of the jury, I came to know that youths are advancing Digital Bangladesh and they are coming from diverse backgrounds. Women's participation is also increasing. These developments give us positive hopes for the days to come," she added.
Echoing the tone of other jury members, Tech entrepreneur Asiya Khaleda Neela appreciated youths for their broad spectrum of thinking, their contribution to SDG.
Journalist Parimal Palma pinned his hope on youths for building a resourceful and knowledge-based society.
Actress Joya Ahsan said: "This year we have received a greater variety of entries. We have got more applications in the fields of science, women empowerment, and sustainable environment."
Joy Bangla Youth Award, named after the liberation time slogan “Joy Bangla”, is based on a vision to recognize the best youth organizations in Bangladesh for their humanitarian works and contributions to society.
Young Bangla, the country's biggest youth network, has not just awarded young changemakers but also groomed them, paving the path for bigger contributions and further recognitions. The platform has so far recognized over 100 organizations and emerged as a hub of over 1,00,000 members, including nearly 20,000 local volunteers.
This year, youth organizations applied under the following categories – Women Empowerment, Child Rights, Empowering the People with Disabilities, Empowering Vulnerable People, Employment and Innovation, Creativity and Recreation, Knowledge and Capacity Development, Empowering Extreme Poor, Environment and Climate Change Activity, Health Care and Awareness, Sociocultural Initiatives, Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency.
Applicants or founders of the organizations were required to be engaged in community services for more than 18 months either in a professional or voluntary capacity.
The organizations also had to fulfil the criterion of being in existence for a period of no less than two years, according to Young Bangla, the youth secretariat of Centre for Research and Information.
