Young Bangla (YB), the largest youth-oriented platform in the country, has listed the 28 finalists of the Joy Bangla Youth Award to be held on Saturday.
The youth awards are the flagship event of Young Bangla.
The youth award will be handed over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT Advisor and CRI Chairperson Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Listed below are the details of the finalists:
Joy Barua Lablu (Organization: Robolife Technology): Robolife Technology was founded in 2018 in Dhaka to provide affordable solution to the people with special needs. They provide artificial hand in the rehabilitation of a person whose arm is lost or amputated. They have served more than 20 people, helped them to give a head start in their life again. They produce bionic hand which cost as low as BDT 30,000 at present and currently trying to come up with better solutions. They have exported few bionic prosthetic hands in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Bezon Kumar (Organization: BK School of Research): BK School of Research (BKSR) is a research organization that works in the field of business, economics, social sciences, and humanities. Currently, they are working with 55 scholars, 100 research assistants, and around 300 data enumerators from 22 countries. BKSR was established in 2015 and has already published over 10 international peer-reviewed journal articles. They are currently carrying out over 10 research projects. They organized 5 seminars and trainings to aware the youth on education, environment, technology and so on.
Muhammad Majadur Rahman (Organization: Boson Biggan Sangho): Boson Biggan Sangho was established in 2014 in Tangail to inspire students to learn math and science in Tangail. They are walking the talk by organizing camps, workshops and science Olympiads. Currently, they are planning to organize a science competition to inspire girls to learn science and math. Boson Biggan Sangho is affiliated with Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad and was awarded the Best Math Club Award in 2019. The members of this organization have won awards at institutional, regional and national level Math Olympiad, Junior Science Olympiad, Biology Olympiad, Programming Olympiad, and other competitions.
A B M Mahmodul Hasan (Organization: Youth Planet): Since their establishment in 2018, Youth Planet is trying to challenge the status quo by breaking social stigmas against women. They are working on their vision and planning to educate men on women's health and rights. Youth Planet's activity helped increase menstrual hygiene awareness in Nandail Upazilla in Mymensingh up to 50%. Moreover, they are working in the domain of ICT and youth leadership training, women entrepreneurship and digital marketing training through the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Youth Planet conducts their activities through a strong community network and a pool of vibrant youth.
Muhammad Shawon Mahmud (Organization: BigyanPriyo): BigyanPriyo is a social media platform started its journey in 2018. They disseminate scientific facts related to daily life to prevent superstition. They create precise, engaging content using infographics and audio-visual contents about scientific breakthrough, science news, blogs, and opportunities. BigyanPriyo is developing a digital science dictionary in Bengali language to facilitate science learning in Bengali. They have a number of school-based activities and publishes an online magazine called “Nebula” to promote science and Bangladeshi scientists among school-going students
Arian Arif (Mojar School ( an Odommo Bangladesh Foundation initiative ): Mojar School was founded in 2013 aiming to provide free education with fun to street children. It has been providing free education to 1,000 underprivileged street children in the National Curriculum from pre-primary to 7th grade. Mojar School has also been providing non-formal education to another 1,000 underprivileged street children for nearly 10 years. It runs 10 schools all over Dhaka. Currently, they are planning to open a new section for technical education.
MD.ASADUJJAMAN (Milon smrity pathagar): Milon Smrity Pathagar has established a total of 14 libraries in Shorishabari Upazila, in Jamalpur. Among these libraries, there is a children's library, 4 roadside libraries and 3 railway station libraries since 2018. They aim to encourage the local youth community to read books. Milon Smrity Pathagar has readers of all ages including primary and high school and college students. The increased readership is helping create a knowledge-based community.
Md. Muinul Ahsan Faysal (Switch Bangladesh Foundation): Switch Bangladesh Foundation is working to ensure basic rights such as education, health, clothes, and shelter of underprivileged children since 2011. They run a free school for underprivileged students with 13 full-time teachers. To date, they have taught around 2000 children. They provide wheelchair to people with special needs and elderly citizens during “Amar Ekhushy Boi Mela”—a month long book fair held every year in Dhaka. They also provide vocational and technical training to destitute women and youth.
Jannatul Mouwa (BINDU Women Development Organization): BINDU Nari Unnayan Sangathan is a youth-led feminist organization. Established in 2018, BINDU works in the area of climate justice and women empowerment. They work to protect the rights of natural disaster-affected people in coastal areas, especially women. They created 18 women leaders at the union level for the disaster management committee. They successfully sensitized the local government to repair a 300-meter embankment wrecked due to Cyclone Amphane. They also work to prevent violence against women, dowry, sexual harassment, and protect child rights in collaboration with local administration and a other youth-led organizations.
Mahir Azraf (White Board Science Club): WhiteBoard Science Club was established by a group of Chattogram based school and college going students in 2018. They launched a Robotics School in 2018 which is the first robotics school in Chattogram. To promote robotics, they arrange free classes on weekends accessible to any robotics enthusiasts. They also have a Programming school and release a by-monthly science magazine called “White Origins”. They are successful in encouraging juvenile minds in robotics.
Anusha Chowdhury (Let's Talk Mental Health): A Bangladesh and Zambia non-profitable donor-driven initiative, founded in 2018 to address mental health. It has 6 projects and 9 campaigns through which it has served 37,500 people, mostly women with family/relationship issues, bullying and gender-based violence, loneliness, financial stress, and substance abuse through a digital peer group supporter pool. It has both national and international trained therapists. It also serves minority people financially and provides counseling to them who were discriminated because of their identity.
Ridam Paul (SoroBindu): Since its foundation in 2019, it has been providing easy access to quality IT education online to the students of the country, especially to the rural youth. They have 180 free contents, web design, graphic design, and spoken English courses. To date, they have 3200 students among them 2000 completed their courses, and 622 managed employment. They also have a freelancing agency where they employ their students.
Prosenjit Kumar Saha (Ucchash): Since its establishment in 2017, the organization is promoting volunteerism in the Southern Belt of Bangladesh. They have 3 work bases in Bhola, Barishal, and Dhaka. Currently running 3 sustainable development projects titled “Shwapno Puron Biddaniketon”, “Project Joyi”, “Project Shabolombi” focusing on free education for underprivileged children, skill development training for the low-income and unemployed people , sexual and reproductive health awareness among adolescents, and Covid-19 response activities. They run a school with 70 students. They aim to empower youth and women along with ensuring their right to education.
Maibam Darpan Singha (SWAPNOTTHAN): Led and run by students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), the organization was established in 2007. They conduct classes in a night school for day laborer children. They have a blood hotline through which they operate blood donation throughout the Sylhet region. They also work for the rehabilitation of women sex workers. Swapnotthan also distributes Eid clothes to the river gypsies and winter clothes to the tea workers. A notable event of Swapnotthan is a national case study competition named "Green Wave" which they organized for the charity of transgender communities in 2020.
Md meharul islam (ALLOR PRODIP YOUTH ORGANAIZATION): Allor Prodip Youth Organization is Bogura based youth led organization founded in 2008. It works for the education of children and women empowerment in the locality. They run training & development programs on block printing and cattle farming with the help of the Youth Development Department and engage women in income-generating activities. They bear the education expense of primary school students in their locality on a need basis. They also provide them food aid to ensure nutrition of the students and raise awareness against drug addiction and dowry.
Swatil Binte Mahmud (Swayong): The increasing rate of domestic violence during the covid-19 pandemic inspired them to open an online platform to make people aware of social injustices in 2020. Swayong develops creative content for different digital platforms to engage people meaningfully with sensitive topics, breaking down inhibitions about shameful issues. Besides, they hosted some offline discussion sessions for youth where they come and share their stories.
Pollob Saha (Community Based Disability and Child Protection Organization): Community Based Disability and Child Protection Organization (CBDCPO) was founded in 2013. They are working for empowering underprivileged people with special needs by giving them access to the job market. CBDCPO is a voluntary organization where they have project-based activities. CBDCPO works are international donor funded and has 7 Dhaka-based PWD organizations. They have a strong team who helps the local government bodies enlist PWD for social security.
Takbir Hossain (Chittagong University Research and Higher Study Society): A university-based research organization that was founded in 2019. They provide support to students who are research enthusiasts. More than 120 students have received support for publishing their research papers and 77 students published their works in Scopus-indexed international journals in 2022. They also organized more than 40-panel discussions, seminars, and workshops, and connected 500 young researchers through their activities. One of their success stories is that they connected 524 young researchers by organizing the "1st Jamal Nazrul Islam National Conference 2022".
Md. Abu Sayeed (Sadhin Somajkollyan Jubo Songstha): Sadhin Somajkollyan Jubo Songstha was established in 2017 and got registered under the Department of Youth Development. They work in the southern part of Bangladesh, Angtihara, Koyra, to improve the quality of life of the people in coastal areas through social development activities, anti-narcotic movements, tree plantation, voluntary embankment repair to prevent river erosion, providing education material to meritorious students. They successfully created a strong rapid-response team equipped with training and skills and created a cyclone center in the locality.
Sabira Mehrin Saba (Wander Woman): A women-led one-stop travel agency for women, founded in 2018 where women receive safe and comfortable travelling experience. They have hosted 350+ trips and supported 60,000+ women where women's safety and security during travel is its core concern.
Hafsa Tasnim (Team Utshob): A student-led university cultural club established in 2020 trying to practice culture and collaborate with local farmers to affiliate them with local agriculture-based corporations in the future. They have arranged cultural events such as Boshonto, Borsha, Homage to Humayun Ahmed, tea parties and so on where they encouraged students in reading books, art, and singing competitions.
Md. Robibul Islam Robi Hijra (Shacheton Hijra Odhikar Jubo Shangha): Shacheton Hijra Odhikar Jubo Shangha was established in 2017 in Dhaka. They are working to bring social change by empowering transgender populations around the country. They are providing trainings, conducting awareness and advocacy programs on legal and human rights of transgender people, and preventing HIV-AIDS among them by raising awareness, workshops, and seminars. They also support those who want to be entrepreneurs.
Myesha Maliha Binte Mamun (Bangladesh Medical Students'Society): Bangladesh Medical Students' Society (BMSS) is working with Bangladeshi medical students to prepare them as global health leaders by creating and providing numerous opportunities for them since 2009. It is a member of the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA). It has 6 specialized committees under which members do social services and gain hands on experience on medical education, professional exchange, public health, sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), research exchange, human rights and peace.
Deloar Hossain (Sadhin Bangla Foundation): Sadhin Bangla Foundation is a rural youth led organization founded in 2021. They have worked during the covid-19 pandemic with major national volunteer organizations. They also arrange awareness campaigns on menstrual hygiene, climate, and environment, and a tree plantation campaign titled “Plant your own Oxygen” at the primary school level. They also distributed free educational materials to 50 students under the "Exchange for Learning “project. They organize sports competitions in the rural areas.
Dr. Hamid Hossain Azad (Young Social Activism Board): Young Social Activism Board (YSAB) was founded in 2017. Their main activities include conducting health camps to provide health services to urban and remote communities. During the pandemic, they provided online Covid-19 test reports in Chattogram and other adjacent districts. Besides, they conduct awareness campaigns on Thalassemia, Breast Cancer, Antibiotic misuse and provide medicine, and arrange some hands-on training for medical students. The volunteers are mainly students of medical and dental colleges and they have campus ambassadors in 8 institutions.
Israt Jahan (Green Voice (Environmental Youth Voluntary Organizations): Green Voice is a youth-led volunteering movement founded in 2005 in Dhaka to protect environment and natural resources. It has regular publications to increase peoples' awareness (Sabuj Barta), capacity development program (Onudhabon), right-based program and campaign for women and children (Bonhishikha), an initiative to protect indigenous peoples' rights (Shidu), an emergency response program during climate change induced calamities (Porosh).
Kamrun Nahar Mohona (ANONDO SCHOOL): Anondo School is a self-driven initiative, established in 2016. They are working on the areas of reproductive healthcare and hygiene, prevention of environmental pollution, and social awareness to children and adolescents. They have a number of stakeholders from the slum area where they teach children math, language, and other subjects on a need basis.
