Joy Bangla Youth Award inspirational, say winners

Md Asaduzzaman from Sarishabari upazila of Jamalpur, who makes a living as a mason, set up libraries in 16 villages. 

He also cherishes a dream to create a "library village", which anyone can use to study without paying a penny. On Saturday (12 November), he won the Joy Bangla Youth Award 2022 in recognition of his dedicated efforts.

The Award has been instituted by the Centre for Research and Information  (CRI), and it has been given for the last six years to recognise young changemakers.

Asaduzzaman received the award from Sajeeb Wazed, at the sixth instalment of the Joy Bangla Youth Award at Sheikh Hasina Jubo Unnoyon Institute in Savar.

The young changemaker founded Milon Smriti Pathagar (Milon's Memory Library), which is consigned to the mission of spreading the light of education to everyone. In their upazila, they have so far built 16 libraries including one for children, a roadside one for passers-by, and three at railway stations for waiting passengers. 

These libraries have already attracted readers among students and people from other walks of life.

"I make a living as a mason. It is my passion to set up libraries," said Asaduzzaman after getting the Joy Bangla Youth Award in recognition to create a  knowledge-based society.

Asaduzzaman was one of the ten who were given Joy Bangla Youth Award under five categories. In addition, lifetime achievement recognition was conferred to Ahsan habib, the editor of the iconic satire magazine Unmad, and a writer from the remote Chittagong Hill Tracts, Younguan Mro.

The 10 awardee youths and their organisations are - Robolife Technologies: Joy Barua, BK School of Research: Bijon Kumar, Boson Science Club: Muhammad Mazedur Rahman, Uchchhas: Prosenjit Kumar Saha, Youth Planet: A B M Mahmudul Hasan, Bigganpriyo: Muhammad Shaon Mahmud, Mojar School: Ariyan, Milon Smiriti Pathagar: Asaduzzaman, Switch Bangladesh Foundation: Md Muinul Ahsan, and Bindu Women Empowerment Organization: Jannatul Maoa.

Joy Bangla Youth Award, introduced by CRI's Young Bangla, has emerged as the biggest recognition for the grassroots youths working silently to turn around their communities. The platform grooms young visionaries and connects them with policymakers to enhance the impact of their work. It also helps the young harbingers of change build a network among themselves so that the power of united efforts would outshine the effect of individual initiatives. This year around 600 youths and youth-led organisations applied for the award and among them, 28 were picked up for the final round. Of the finalists, ten clinched the title.

Effusively praising the youths for their untiring efforts towards change, Sajeeb Wazed expressed his hope that youths would drive the country forward by overcoming the crisis gripping the world through the ongoing war situation.

"We will solve our own problems with our merit. If we have confidence and patriotism within ourselves, it is possible to do everything for our country and the people of this country," he added.

Receiving the awards from Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Joy Bangla Youth Award winners gave words to their feelings.

Lifetime achievement winner Ahsan Habib said, "I am feeling ecstatic. Our Unmad is now 45. We have just received an award after so many years. It will do a great favour to our cartoonists. It was Unmad's cartoonists who sketched the country's first graphic novel Mujib. I believe all the cartoonists behind the graphic novel will be inspired."