The State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak has announced to increase the investment of innovative initiative of ‘Rocketry Challenge’ from Tk. 25 lakh to Tk. 5 crore to build a self-reliant smart Bangladesh.
He said, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has created opportunities for talented youth by establishing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aero Space University. Smaller project grants from a2i’s Innovation Lab help accelerate that opportunity. We want to make everyone a creative citizen under Joy Bhai’s guidance in the successful implementation of the journey that has started to fulfill the dreams of young innovators. To ensure that today’s ideas are not limited to dreams, a2i will invest up to Tk. 5 crore in each round on a partnership basis with the opportunity to grant up to Tk. 25 lakh.
The state minister expressd his views while speaking at the awarding ceremony of the winning inventors of the Rocketry Innovation Challenge-2022 held at BAF Shaheen Hall in Mohakhali of the capital on Wednesday.
Azadul Haque, a former system administrator of NASA and currently a teacher at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University, has become the rocketry champion.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University Vice-Chancellor Air-Vice Marshal ASM Fakhrul Islam presided over the program where the Education Minister Dr. Deepu Moni was present as the Chief Guest. On Wednesday, Dr. Dipu Moni handed over the prizes to the winners at the BAF Shaheen Hall located in the capital’s Mohakhali. While speaking as the Chief Guest, she commented that digital words were once joked about but today everything in life is connected with technology. People will think smartly in smart Bangladesh and will proceed along the hard path of truth. And will extend helping hands to the people in need.
The a2i Project Director Dr. Dewan Muhammad Humayun delivered a welcome speech at the event. a2i Policy Advisor Anir Chowdhury spoke online. The first Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University and Air Force Chief AHM Fazlul Haque were also present at the evnt.
In the month of March, the rocketry runner-up Nahian Al Ali, a graduate in electrical engineering from Mymensingh, will launch ‘Dhumketu’ in the space.
While speaking as the special guest, the ICT State Minister said, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aero Space University has been established to ensure the innovative participation of the talented youth of Bangladesh to build the space eco-system with its every element. Already more than 400 students are studying in this university in 2 subjects.
He also said that no matter how many political debates and disagreements there are, if the 170 million people of the country do not implement Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s digital Bangladesh vision, it would not have been possible to keep the country running despite the Covid-19 pandemic. In the same way, the Prime Minister’s commitment to make Bangladesh a developed, rich, intelligent, cost-effective, knowledge-based, innovative, smart Bangladesh by 2014 can also be implemented through the talent and efforts of the young generation. Therefore, a smart society will be built with intelligent and creative smart citizens, cashless smart economy, and paperless offices.
Top 2 astrophysicists were awarded for innovative initiatives among 33 teams selected out of 124 teams through competition at the event. The winners are Azadul Haque and Al Nahian Haque Ali. In this talent search competition, the champion Azadul Haque won the prize of one crore taka for the first time in the history of the country. And the runner-up Nahyan Haque won a check of Tk. 50 lakhs.