BRAC Manthan digital Innovation award announced 14 winners for 2016 on 8 October,at the Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden. The award was given to promote and recognise the contributions of individuals and organisations in the field of ICT for development.
The programme started with a fair exhibiting the innovations of 29 finalists. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister, Minister of State for Information and Communication, Technology (ICT) attended the event as chief guest. Appreciating this initiative he said, “Current internet user in our country is 60 million and this is increasing by 10 million per year. With the increase of internet users, interest of youth in technology is also amplifying. This award will certainly inspire the youth to innovate in technology. The government is ready to cooperate in taking this initiative forward. “
BRAC launched this award, an off-shoot of the Manthan Awards in India, on 10 April in partnership with Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF). The winners from Bangladesh will get direct entry to the final round of prestigious Manthan Award South Asia 2016.
The nine categories of the competition are: e-business and financial inclusion, e-education, learning and employment, e-agriculture and ecology, e-governance and institutions, e-health, e-women, inclusion and empowerment, e-news, journalism and entertainment, e-culture, heritage and tourism, and m-content.
BRAC received more than 100 nominations from all over the country, across different sectors. Based on 90 applications went for the jury evaluation process. A jury of 10 eminent experts assessed them on the quality of their content, impact of the solution, functionality of the product/service and benefits to people. 29 were selected for the final phase.
Notable jury board members included Anir Chowdhury, policy advisor, Prime Minister’s office, Luna Shamsuddoha, Chairman, Dohatec New Media, Munir Hasan
Coordinator, Youth Programme -Prothom Alo, KAM Morshed, Director, ICT and Advocacy, BRAC etc.
Present at the award ceremony, founder and director of Digital Empowerment Foundation Osama Manzar said, “Internet and technology are the connecting tools now, if we dont use these we will become the consumers of someone else. So Bangladesh should plan for the next 100 years not 100 days and try to build the network combining internet and technology”. Executive director of BRAC Dr Muhammad Musa, representatives from development agencies, government and corporate sector also attended the programme.
Prothom Alo supported this initiative as the associate partner. Also on board were Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom as exhibition partner, Webable as digital media partner and Channel 24 as TV media partner.
Winners list
Category: E-AGRICULTURE AND ECOLOGY
Department of Agriculture Extension project name is
KRISHOKER JANALA-APNAR FOSHOLER SOMOSSAR SOMADHAN EKHANEI
Category: E-EDUCATION, LEARNING & EMPLOYMENT
Repto education Center
10 MINUTE SCHOOL
Youth Opportunities.
Category: E-BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION
Humac Lab Limited and their project name is SELLISCOPE
Cloud Solution Limited and their project name is CSL MOBILE ACCOUNTS
Category: E-CULTURE, HERITAGE AND TOURISM
Vromon
Dhaka Electronica Scene/Akaliko Records their project name is TRANSLATIONS – AN ELECTRONIC MUSIC COMPILATION BY AKALIKO RECORDS.
Category: E-NEWS, JOURNALISM AND ENTERTAINMENT
Software Shop Limited (SSL Wireless) their project name is e-Tunes
PAVILION and their project name is PAVILION.
Category: E-GOVERNANCE & INSTITUTIONS
EnamelBD and their project name is VAT CHECKER
Mathiura Union Parishad and their project name is Mathiura Union Parishad Digitalization Project.
Category: E-HEALTH
Rx71 Limited and their project name is RX71
Department of Biomedical and their project name is Dhaka University Telemedicine Programme – rural healthcare using indigenously developed technology.
Special mention and runners up
Category: E-AGRICULTURE AND ECOLOGY
Special mentions
Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd and their project name is MRITTIKĀ
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and their project name is BARI Application.
Runner up
Training in a Tab
Category: E-EDUCATION, LEARNING & EMPLOYMENT
Special mention
Durbin Labs and their project name is Durbin App
Clickntech.com and their project name is e-learning door to door
Category: E-BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION
Runners up
eSheba Organization a company of Curtex Group and their project name is eSheba.
Category: E-CULTURE, HERITAGE AND TOURISM
Runners Up
KOTHOWAIN and their project name is Marginalized and Ethnic Children and Youth Development and Empowerment Project.
Category: E-NEWS, JOURNALISM AND ENTERTAINMENT
Special Mention
QUIZARDS.
Runners up
The Dhaka Times
Roots Journalism
Category: E-WOMEN, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT
Special Mention
Women in digital Bangladesh.
Runners up
Concern Universal and their project name is People Centered Interactive Risk & Livelihood Information Gateway
Preneur Lab - Public Toilet App and their project name is Public Toilet App – Find public toilets.
Category: E-HEALTH
Runner up
Windmill Infotech Limited and their project name is babytika
Juror’s Mention for Innovation
From the category E-EDUCATION, LEARNING & EMPLOYMENT, Life2coding and their project name is LAPTOUCH: CONVERT ANY COMPUTER SCREEN INTO TOUCH SCREEN