As Bangladesh enters the new phase of its development, it must deal with the twin challenges of sustaining economic growth and managing the changes that come with it, said CRI Trustee Radwan Mujib. In the editorial note of WhiteBoard, the first policy-based magazine in the country, Editor-in-chief Radwan Mujib reflected on the economic structural transformation Bangladesh is undergoing and how the country can better cope with it. "Bangladesh is one of the emerging Asian countries experiencing economic structural transformation. Industrialisation and urbanisation are core to this process. To avoid growing pains, policymakers must act fast and decisively to make sure an environment exists in which cities and commerce can flourish," Radwan, a strategy consultant and youth advocate, observed in his article titled 'Let’s use the springboard we have created'.  A young, tech-savvy population, with higher levels of education than the previous generations is entering the workforce.  READ: Next generation has to be better than last: Radwan Mujib The country’s ready-made garments sector is a world leader, and there are signs that other industries are ready to follow suit. Infrastructure mega-projects are removing bottlenecks for economic transformation.  The country is ready for take-off – but how can policymakers ensure it has a secure launching pad is what Radwan Mujib stressed on.    In the eighth issue of the quarterly WhiteBoard, some crucial issues regarding the country's economic transformation and policymaking were highlighted. Drawing on his decades-long experience of macroeconomic policymaking in Asia, Gustav Papanek remarked that diversification in manufacturing is a must. In his interview, he outlines how industry-focused job creation can lead to poverty elimination in populous countries like Bangladesh.

International Children's Peace Prize Winner Sadat Rahman has credited Centre for Research and Information (CRI) Trustee Radwan Mujib Siddiq with grooming the country's young changemakers. He has helped the young changemakers improve the quality of the services they provide to their communities, Sadat said. Posting a birthday message for Radwan, Sadat wrote, "Now another candle is just added to this celebration for the brain behind the Joy Bangla Youth Award, who gathered this army of young people on one platform – CRI Trustee Radwan Mujib has turned 42." "His diversified projects in reviving youths' interest in the country's history, such as the Joy Bangla Youth Award (named after the historic wartime slogan Joy Bangla), the Joy Bangla Concert, 'Mujib Graphic Novel', and 'Hasina: A Daughter's Tale,' captured the imagination of the children and youths." Dubbing the Joy Bangla Youth Award as a springboard for his later global exposure, Sadat wrote, "The Award did not just recognise and reward us but helped us network among all the awardees, connect with policymakers, and receive the grooming and support required for maximising the impact of our work."  "The shared journey, enabled by this initiative, instilled a belief in me that like an orchestra amplifies the music being played, networking enhances youths' efforts working on individual levels," he said, who developed an app that provides a safe space for teenagers to ask for help against cyberbullying. READ: Next generation has to be better than last: Radwan Mujib For his work, Sadat won the International Children's Peace Prize 2020, presented to him by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai during a ceremony in the Netherlands. "What I was deprived of before getting the Joy Bangla Youth Award in 2018 was networking. Thanks to the networking with other awardees across the country, advice, and recommendations from them (since I was among the youngest ones), and direct interactions with policymakers worked as a springboard towards this global recognition," he said. "If this networking covers young dreamers across Bangladesh, it is bound to open the gateway to better days. That path is being paved by Young Bangla, the most extensive network of youths in Bangladesh, which is shaping an entire generation of young visionaries." The Joy Bangla Youth Award is one of the flagship programmes of Young Bangla, the youth secretariat of CRI. The award acknowledges young changemakers, innovators, leaders, and pioneers in different fields across the country. It recognises those who are working for their communities as well as the nation. Meanwhile, Mohammad Mohasin, representing Joy Bangla Youth Award-winning organisation Wheelchair Cricketer of Bangladesh, also wished Radwan a happy birthday, writing: "Your guidance and support will make us stronger than ever."

Radwan Mujib, a trustee of Centre for Research & Information (CRI),  will confer the "Joy Bangla Youth Awards" to 15 youth-driven groups  today (Monday). They have worked with scarce resources but hugely impacted on communities with their innovative projects.  Themed on the Liberation War and name after the war cry of the Bengali freedom fighters , the Joy Bangla Youth Award (JBYA) created more expectations this year than any of the previous since the country is celebrating the 50th year of its independence.  Though the event takes place once every two years, this year the gap has been slashed to one year to time it with the golden jubilee of the country’s victory from the occupation army of Pakistan. The event will feature recorded speeches of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also the chairperson of CRI, said sources at Young Bangla, the youth platform  of CRI that took the initiative of launching the Joy Bangla Youth Award. Read: Joy Bangla Youth Award brings about stories of silent young changemakers JBYA 2021, the fifth installment of the award, received entries from a total of 750 youth-led organizations that are silently transforming society. The applications were inspected by a high-octane jury including celebrities such as cricketer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and actress Jaya Ahsan. They shortlisted 31 applicants, out of which 15 will receive Joy Bangla Youth Award. Since its inception in 2014, JBYA has awarded 120 organizations for changing the social paradigm and advancing inclusion. Young Bangla, the largest network of the country’s youths, is a hub of 12,500 volunteers, 2,00,000 members, 300 youth organizations. The goal of this platform is not just awarding or recognizing the young changemakers but also helping them network, connect with policymakers, and receive proper grooming. Owing to the supports provided by Young Bangla, a couple of past awardees later claimed international recognitions, including Sadat Rahman, who won International Children’s Peace Prize for his contribution against cyberbullying. Through CRI’s youth platform Young Bangla, which launched Joy Bangla Youth Award, Radwan is working to empower and inspire young people  through numerous initiatives to create entrepreneurs and leaders. Radwan Mujib turned a youth icon through his interactive sessions with young people and creative projects such as films, comics, and concerts to present history in the form of stories. Read: ‘Joy Bangla’ to be national slogan: HC His creative endeavors include Mujib, a graphic novel based on the unfinished memoir of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, setting a unique trend in the country to tell history for kids in the form of comics, blending learning with entertainment. Radwan also co-produced Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale, a docufiction that PM Sheikh Hasina's trials and tribulations after the massacre of much of her family, including her Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. A London of School of Economics graduate, Radwan edits the country’s first policy-based magazine WhiteBoard, covering the gamut of policy issues through in-depth analysis from globally acclaimed academics, researchers, and experts.

Bangladesh has shown one can be a "responsible player" on the global stage focusing on the most vulnerable to ensure equitable growth, says Radwan Mujib Siddiq. Radwan, a trustee of the Centre for Research & Information (CRI), made the observation in the editorial note of the sixth issue of WhiteBoard, the country's first policy-based magazine. “At a time when many countries are turning their backs on people fleeing wars and persecution, Bangladesh is sheltering over a million people (Rohingyas) who’re unable to return to their homeland,” he said. Paying tribute to the Liberation War heroes, he writes, “As we remember those who led Bangladesh to victory 50 years ago, it is time to firmly fix our gaze on the future. Beyond the impressive gains in economic and human development, what does Bangladesh want to be known for? Read: Time to challenge what we know: Radwan Mujib "What are the hallmarks of the Bangladesh model, and are they being clearly articulated at home and abroad?” said Radwan, grandson of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The strategy consultant and youth advocate said in this WhiteBoard issue, they look at how focusing on the most vulnerable has paid dividends for Bangladesh, and how it can continue to shape policymaking for the next five decades and beyond. In the sixth issue, Binayek Sen takes an in-depth look at Bangladesh’s performance as a poverty reducing country in comparison to other top performers such as India, China and Vietnam.

Radwan Mujib Siddiq has said it is time to move on from referring to the ‘Bangladesh Miracle’ and start focusing on the ‘Bangladesh Model’ as Bangladesh seeks to consolidate its position as a middle-income country. In his editorial note of the 4th issue of WhiteBoard, country’s first ever policy-based magazine, Radwan said as embodied by Vision 2021 and Digital Bangladesh, this model is anchored on people-centric policies that ensure the much-needed trickle-down effect to produce distributive justice. In the latest issue of WhiteBoard, Radwan said they look at what needs to be done to take the next step in Bangladesh’s innovation journey. “We will strive to provide a space where voices, both old and new, can continue debating the most pressing policy choices in Bangladesh,” said Radwan, grandson of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Also read: Please wear masks, keep your loved ones safe: Radwan Mujib WhiteBoard is published by the think-tank Centre for Research and Information (CRI) to generate ideas for a comprehensive debate on critical national issues (https://whiteboardmagazine.com/2362/its-time-to-focus-on-the-model-not-the-miracle/) The fourth quarter issue of this magazine was released on Thursday, marking one year of its journey.

Radwan Mujib Siddiq, the grandson of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and trustee of Centre for Research & Information (CRI), has turned 41 as his birthday falls on May 21. Radwan, the eldest among three children of Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana and academician Shafiq Ahmed Siddique, was born on May 21, 1980. His sister Tulip Siddiq is a British MP representing London’s Hampstead and Kilburn. Their father Shafiq had worked at several universities in Bangladesh and abroad. Followers keep greeting him soon after zero hour as CRI and Young Bangla shared two messages on their verified Facebook pages greeting Radwan. Radwan is credited with initiating creative and analytic projects – from architecting Mujib graphic novel to co-producing the docufiction Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale to bringing forth Joy Bangla Concert to editing the country’s policy-based magazine WhiteBoard. Also read: Radwan Mujib to launch new magazine WhiteBoard Sunday The trend he set in motion of presenting history in the form of stories, films, and concerts revived the interest of the young generation in the country’s history. Mujib Graphic Novel, based on the unfinished memoir of Bangabandhu, is the first of its kind in the country, presenting history to the kids as comics.

Reminiscing the homecoming of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 40 years back, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq on Monday paid tributes to this historical moment, saying that she ‘turned Bangladesh away from the darkness’ on this day. "Forty years ago, today, you turned Bangladesh away from the darkness, and shone your light on the path towards democracy, development, and a decent life for its people. There's still a long way to go, but none of it would have been possible without your return. Thank you," grandson of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wrote on his official Facebook page. His words were accompanied by the time-travelled image of a 40-year-old poster on her return at the airport at 3:00 pm on May 17, 1981.  The historical day marked the end of the six years of agonising wait by Sheikh Hasina, a survivor of the assassinated family, to return to the country.  Also read: Another chance to watch "Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale" Monday All the ordeals, encountered by her and her sister Sheikh Rehana, set in on August 15, 1975, when the news crossed oceans to them that their entire family had been gunned down by some disgruntled army officers at their residence in Bangladesh. Her struggle in these six years was portrayed in detail by the globally acclaimed docufiction, ‘Hasina: A Daughter's Tale’, co-produced by Radwan. The 70-minute docudrama captures a brief history of the tumultuous path the country has traversed through the first account narrative of two sisters. Radwan is a trustee of Centre for Research and information, a not-for-profit think-tank that has taken up efforts to present history with a captivating style of storytelling for the younger generation. Another initiative, Mujib graphic novel, under CRI, the first-ever graphic novel on a towering figure in the country, has reportedly captivated the kids with the life and work on Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, based on his autobiography. Also read: 2-day exhibition marking Sheikh Hasina’s homecoming begins in city Besides, CRI has introduced Young Bangla that turned out over the years as a leading platform for the youths aiming to give a platform for the policymakers and youths.

Rewinding the clock 40 years down the line and recreating the homecoming of a survivor of an assassinated family at the end of six years of torturous waiting and her journey onwards is a new breed of visual storytelling "Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale" introduced to the country. With its local and global acclamation garnered due to its dramatic storytelling, the docufiction, shedding light on the less-explored aspects of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has not stopped casting its spell on the audience in past few years and is set to be rescreened on television channels on Monday. BTV and BTV World will air the visual at 3:30pm marking her homecoming on this day in 1981 - May 17. Also read: 'Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale’ to be aired on television on her birthday Ekattor TV is set to air at 3:30 pm, Somoy TV at 4:40 pm, ATN News at 11:15 pm, and Channel 24 at 5:00 pm on Monday.

The policy of the current government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of 'leaving no one behind' was a policy of Bangabandhu, said Bangabandhu's grandson and CRI's Trustee Radwan Mujib Siddiq on Sunday.

Centre for Research & Information (CRI) is set to launch WhiteBoard, a magazine objectively and comprehensively analyzing and narrating the policies in Bangladesh, on Sunday.