250 entrepreneurs to receive JCI CYE awards

The Junior Chamber International (JCI) is going to organise the country’s first Smart Bangladesh Summit and Expo where 250 entrepreneurs will be awarded for their innovative businesses or projects.

The two-day long JCI Smart Bangladesh Summit, Expo and CYE Award 2023 will be held at International Convention City (ICCB) on June 9 and 10 where over 50 exhibitors from around 12 sectors will be participating, said organisers at a press briefing at the Bangladesh Computer Council in the capital.

Delivering the keynote speech on the occasion, JCI Bangladesh National President Ziaul Haque Bhuiyan said the primary objective of the summit and expo is to present it to the general public through expert discussions.

The two-day event is a combination of 11 sessions along with an inauguration and plenary session at the beginning, he added.

Ziaul also said, “The event, first of its kind, is introducing the first JCI Creative Young Entrepreneur or CYE Award this year. In this session, 1,000 entrepreneurs will be able to share their business ideas, and the winners will be awarded cash prizes of Tk 3.5 lakh, an opportunity to showcase their business on JCI’s global platform, and opportunities for further funding generation from venture capitalists.”

CYE Award is an annual competition held by JCI to recognise and honour young entrepreneurs who have started innovative businesses or projects that make a positive impact on their communities. The top winners will get an opportunity to pitch their idea in next JCI ASPAC and followed by JCI World Congress.

Project Director (Joint Secretary) of Aspire to Innovate (A2I), Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, said the A2i has invented and implemented a series of digital programmes round the year to simplify different civic services to accelerate attaining the government’s new vision of building a ‘SMART Bangladesh’ by 2041.

He also said being an organisation of creative youths, JCI Bangladesh deserves appreciation for the special programmes compassionate for the implementation of Smart Bangladesh. A2i will continue to extend their sincere support to them to make this effort a success.

National vice president of JCI Azazul Hasan Khan said JCI is an international organisation of youth all over the world aged between 18 to 40. Currently, JCI Bangladesh has more than 40 local organisations under it with more than 5,000 members all around the country.

Since 1998, the organization has been contributing in creating leaders and resulting sustainable positive impacts in the society. In continuation of their effort, the first summit and expo has been organized where the youths will get free registration to visit and learn about ‘Smart Bangladesh’, he added.

JCI Bangladesh Deputy National President, Imran Kadir, and a2i Program Human Development Media Manager, Purabi Matin, were also present in the programme.