Press Release

No: 118 PR/BHL/2019

Dhaka, August 4, 2019

Honda “Y-E-S” Award Program Launched to Encourage University Students in Bangladesh

Dhaka, August 4, 2019— The Honda Foundation (HOF) started the Honda Y-E-S (Young Engineer and Scientist's) Award program in Bangladesh from August 2019 through Bangladesh Honda Private Limited (BHL) in cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE). The kick off ceremony was held today at Westin Hotel, Dhaka.

The ceremony was graced by Mr. Akihiro Kameoka, Managing Director, Honda Foundation, Dr. Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Vice-Chancellor, University of Asia Pacific, Mr. Himihiko Katsuki, Managing Director and CEO, Bangladesh Honda Private Limited, Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam Sheikh, Vice Chancellor, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), Mr. Hitoshi Hirata, General Manager-JICA, Mr. Hiroki Watanabe, Ekmattra Society, Mr. Shah Muhammad Ashequr Rahman, Head of Finance and Commercial, Bangladesh Honda Private Limited and representative of respective universities.

The objective of this award is to “foster future leaders of science and technology fields to spearhead the growth of Asian countries in the future”. The Y-E-S Award program aims to discover and encourage students who would become the future leaders to develop and implement innovative technologies that help to realize truly humane civilization, maintaining the harmony of human being and its surrounding environment. The program initially kicked off in Vietnam in 2006 and it has been also implemented in other countries in Asia: India, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar whose economies are growing at a remarkable pace. Specifications of the program vary country by country to attain optimal results.

In Bangladesh, HOF intended to start Y-E-S (Young Engineer and Scientist's) Award with four public Engineering universities:

1. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)

2. Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET)

3. Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) and

4. Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET)

The program will annually select up to 4 undergraduate students of its designated four universities in Bangladesh to award a USD 3,000/= each student. Furthermore, the awardees can receive as additional award/grant upto USD 10,000/= under Honda Y-E-S Award Plus program, if they continue their study and training within 3 years after the receipt of the Honda Y-E-S Award either via master’s doctoral or study abroad programs in Japanese universities at Japan, or via internship programs in Japanese research organizations or private companies in Japan as approved by the Honda Foundation. An awarding ceremony for the program is currently scheduled in January 2020.

To fulfil the objective to joy and freedom of mobility, Bangladesh Honda Private Limited (BHL) will award 1 motorcycle for each of awardee.

To execute the program, we are nominating 6 evaluators and the following are the evaluator details:

The program hopes to promote dissemination of ecotechnology among the young generations and at the same time to strengthen interaction and exchange between Japanese youths and young people expect to lead science, technology and industry in their respective countries. We aim to use the results to promote human welfare and happiness and “to contribute towards the creation of a truly humane civilization” based on the recognition of the need to strive to create a higher level of humane society to make people happy with technology.

SHORT-BRIEFING OF RELATED COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION:

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. always serves people worldwide in expanding their daily life’s potentiality with freedom of mobility to make people’s lives better. We have always known that business success is not measured solely by our products, but also by our efforts to make the world better. Honda strives to enrich the social and economic well-being in communities and Honda Foundation (HOF) is supporting for enhancing the same objective.

Honda Foundation was established in 1977 by donations from the founder of Honda Motor Company, Soichiro Honda, and his younger brother, Benjiro with the vision of the legacy of the founder late Sochiro Honda, “Whether it be learning or technology, everything in this world is nothing more than a means to serve people. I think the most important thing of all is to have love for people and technology is nothing more than a means to serve people”. It’s goal is to contribute towards the creation of a truly humane civilization through interdisciplinary approaches. The Foundation’s belief is that science and technology should truly contribute to happiness and peace of mankind, and along that principle, Honda Foundation is engaged in a variety of activities which includes:

- Honda Prize: annual award to an individual or group in recognition of the recipient’s remarkable achievement in the field of science and technology that is in harmony with both the natural and the human environment (what we call “ecotechnology”);

- International Symposia and colloquia: opportunities for open discussions on the roles and possibilities of ecotechnology among experts in various disciplines; and

- Honda Y-E-S Award: a grant program to discover and encourage students who would become the future leaders to bring ecotechnology into action.

Bangladesh Honda Private Limited (BHL) is committed to offering the highest-quality products at reasonable prices while contributing to society by providing people with the joy and freedom of mobility. Through these efforts, BHL will strive to be a company that society wants to exist in Bangladesh. Driven by strong passion, the company will take on new challenges to fulfill this mission.

Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) was created in line with the policy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan and JICA to strengthen private sector roles and functions in the management of ODA projects. JICE will serve as the liaison for HOF Y-E-S (Young Engineer and Scientist's) Award in Bangladesh.

For contact:

Honda Foundation, Phone: +81-3-3274-5125, Fax: +81-3-3274-5103, URL: http://www.hondafoundation.jp

or,

Bangladesh Honda Private Limited, URL: http://www.bdhonda.com

or,

Shah Muhammad Ashequr Rahman, Head of Finance and Commercial, Bangladesh Honda Private Ltd., Mobile: +8801729211311, Email: ashequr@bdhonda.com

Faithfully Yours

__________________________________________________________________

Md. Ismail Bhuyian

Head of Government and Industry Relations

Bangladesh Honda Private Limited