Staff Reporter Dhaka : bKash has received ‘Best CSR in Education’ award by The Daily Star and CSR Window Bangladesh for its unique contribution to education as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The organization received the award in recognition of organizing book reading programs and science festivals for school students across the country.

In the second edition of ‘A Better Tomorrow CSR Award 2022’, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Chief Guest of the event and Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, presented the awards to the winners at a hotel in the capital to recognize the best CSR initiatives. Kamal Quadir, Chief Executive Officer of bKash, received the award on behalf of the organization. Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (retd), Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer; Mahfuz Sadique, Chief Communications Officer; Ferdous Yusuf, Chief Human Resources Officer along with other senior officials of bKash were also present at the event. For the first time as an MFS organization, bKash achieved this prestigious recognition.

Since 2014, bKash as a responsible corporate entity of the country, has been associated with Bishwo Shahitto Kendro’s book reading program to inculcate the habit of reading books among students across the country and distributed 2,63,700 books to around 2,900 educational institutions, from which 2.7 million readers have been benefited. Besides, bKash has also refurbished or replaced old and worn-out books in school libraries and introduced new collections. Due to this nationwide program, students have been able to acquire a wide range of knowledge beyond their curriculum.

Besides, since 2019, bKash has been organizing nationwide science festivals with country’s most popular Bangla science magazine BigganChinta for school students to inspire them to practice science. The target behind organizing this festival is to help the students realize the importance of science practice in their life and build a science-oriented nation. In this festival held in the presence of teachers, parents and dignitaries, demonstration of innovative science projects by students, quiz competition, lectures by renowned teachers of the country, robot exhibition, magic show, orientation with various scientific concepts, cultural performances and prize-giving sessions are arranged.

Earlier in 2019, bKash partnered with ‘Proyash-Jashore’ to fund education for 118 students with special needs.

It is also notable that bKash has distributed 20,000 copies of the graphic novel series ‘Mujib’ to 500 Bengali and English medium schools across the country to inspire the students with the ideals of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which has reached around 250,000 students already.