Chinese telecom giant Huawei Monday announced the toppers of its Seeds For The Future 2021 Bangladesh programme from eight universities.

Seeds For The Future is Huawei's flagship corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students worldwide and was launched in Bangladesh in 2014.

This year, the University of Dhaka (DU), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) and East West University (EWU) joined the event.

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More than 600 students from these eight universities rolled in the selection phase. And from there, 16 toppers, one male and one female student from each university, were selected based on their academic record, spot-exam, presentation skill and innovative thinking.

The 16 students are Imtiaz Ahmed, and Syeda Fatima Fayruj from BUET; Sumayya Rahman, and Mehedi Hasan from KUET; Nahian Rifaat, and Nazifa Rahman Adhora from RUET; Aninda Nandy, and Fatema Islam Tania from CUET; Syed Doha Uddin, and Nishat Tasnim from the DU; Seeamoon Hasiba Reza, and Mohtasim Tasnim Zaman from EWU; Kazi Arham Kabir, and Sadia Karishma Kabir from AUST; AKM Rakib, and Ramisha Raida Karim from IUT. 

Traditionally, the selected students go to China for a study trip. However, due to Covid-19, the training has been shifted to an online programme.

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"As Bangladesh is progressing fast and digital transformation will determine our future growth, we are in dire need of skilled young people. So, Huawei' Seeds For The Future will yield positive outcomes not only for the future leaders but also for the country," Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury said at the event.

"We started this programme in Bangladesh seven years ago, and the response has been phenomenal. Huawei considers the youth as of today's seeds, which must be facilitated with proper care so that they can prove to be assets in the future," said Zhang Zhengjun, CEO of Huawei Technologies Bangladesh.  

"Today's youths are the future of tomorrow. Huawei, through the Seeds for the Future Programme, is supporting Bangladesh's emerging ICT talent and future ICT leaders by broadening their knowledge and equipping them with skills that will be useful and relevant to them both in their professional careers as well as lives as responsible global citizens," Beatrice Kaldun, Unesco representative to Bangladesh, said.

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"This programme has been an excellent opportunity for our students to develop skills and learn so many things firsthand from experts and Huawei engineers," BUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Satya Prasad Majumder said.