SAVAR, November 18, 2023 (BSS)-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ICT Affairs Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy today expressed his optimism that the country’s youths will play the leading role in turning the country into a developed one within next 10-15 years.

“None can even imagine that Bangladesh can make such development within only 15 years. When we started our journey, Bangladesh was poor country but now it turns into a middle income one. Bangladesh will become a developed nation within next 10-15 years and the youths will act as the leaders here,” he said.

Joy, also Bangabandhu’s grandson and Chairman of Centre for Research and Information (CRI), was addressing the seventh edition of Joy Bangla Youth Award giving ceremony at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Youth Development in the city’s outskirts Savar.

He said the youths not only think about problems but also think about solutions to those and that is why “I am extending my gratitude to you”.

In this seventh edition, some 12 youth organizations in six categories won the awards as the ceremony is being arranged regularly under the arrangement of the country’s leading youth platform Young Bangla, under the supervision of CRI, since 2015.

“You have many questions as Bangladesh has different problems. But I feel proud thinking of a matter that you not only think of problems rather how to make solutions to those. You are finding solutions and executing those,” said Joy who spearheaded the planning and implementation of the Digital Bangladesh vision bringing remarkable progress in the ICT sector.

He said from the very beginning he used to say Bangladesh stands on its own foot with achieving of self-sufficiency in food grain productions and others and the country’s youth, the future leaders, will have to stand on their own foot creating self-employment by their own initiatives.

“You will have to find solutions to all the problems including the corruption,” he said adding only government cannot do the task, everyone should work from their respective positions in unison to face the problems.

Extending congratulations to all awardees and top selected organizations, Joy said more than 700 organisations applied for the awards but “We cannot award all of them. But every organization is making its marks for wellbeing of the people and the society. Congratulations and best wishes to all.”

“You are doing so many works in all respects including in environment sector all over the country. You are also getting recognition of your works from everywhere including the United Nations and UNESCO. I feel proud of you. You are taking ahead the country,” he said.

“We had a dream that youth will take ahead the country as you are the future of Bangladesh. We don’t think of present rather of future and you are now translating the dream into reality. When we started Bangladesh was a poor nation but it now turns into a middle income one,” he said.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy handed over the awards among the winners during the ceremony.

CRI trustees Radwan Mujib Siddiq and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and Nahim Razzaq, MP, were present.