The festival of making things—big or small

What happens when you are in Bangladesh and not in Silicon Valley? There are big questions of 'if' and 'how'.  Do we have the right institutions, the resources, the money, the tools, accessibility to investors and producers who can and will take our innovation to people? Can we protect our innovations from being misused and fabricated?

But what was Prof. Dr. Khondoker Siddique-e-Rabbani thinking when he decided to take an imported technology that is sold for almost 50 lakh taka in the market and build a prototype of it for only 6 lakh taka instead? What 'if' and 'how' led him to believe that he could use local tools and resources to build a Dynamic Pedograph for diabetic patients that can be possibly sold in the market for only 4 lakh taka now?

What about Md. Mahmudul's research with his team in Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET)? He has been trying to create an identification system that uses our brainwaves instead of the usual finger print or eye-scan. He does not have all the tools yet, but that has not stopped him from going with his research. And when RenoScience built E-Braille to help the visually challenged 'read' text from smartphone screens using wearable technology at last year's Make-A-Thon, the challenges that these questions pose seemed distant at the time. What mattered then was only a hand-glove with wires and circuits that could help people conquer a challenge.

So, maybe Bangladesh is ready for ideas and challenges, regardless of setbacks. And what better time than now for a ridiculous, 68-hour long competition where you can make anything? Dig into its plans, campaigns and workshops, and 'Make-A-Thon' is more than just a competition. It is a festival that aims to bring together stakeholders, aspiring and amateur innovators, policy makers, investors, experts and mentors under the same roof--- people whose works are all about making and supporting makers.

The prizes are ludicrous and tempting; who doesn't want cash prizes, investment, or even a ticket to Silicon Valley?

But Make-A-Thon is not just for the top winners or the prizes; it is for a local community of makers and innovators who can work together on an endless mission to understand local problems and shape solutions for these problems.

Minhaz Anwar, founder and managing director of BetterStories Ltd. says, "You should come to MakeAThon if you'd like to give a shape to your dream, build a product that customers love and solve a problem of Bangladesh in a way no one has ever imagined before to take this country to the  future."

And keeping accessibility and reach in mind, and with an unshakeable faith in potential from all across Bangladesh that is most often overlooked or unrepresented, MakerFests has been knocking on universities in various divisions with knowledge workshops and showcases.

In an effort to invite makers from different communities and spheres, MakerFest has covered Dhaka, Chittagong, Mymensingh and Khulna already with BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Chittagong University of Engineering  and Technology, Bangladesh Agriculture University and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology.

 The students use the fest as an opportunity to show why it is time for competitions like Make-A-Thon to take place in Bangladesh. Robots that solve Rubik's cubes, drones that support facial recognition, organic fabrics and things of fantasies are now more real and in flesh than they have ever been before.

The World Bank and Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project  (HEQEP) are set to implement the Academic Innovation Fund which will allow universities to apply for funding to set up fabrication labs in their campuses. Make-A-Thon leads towards these plans and aims to create a community that will know how to make the most of these resources.

Make-A-Thon is set to take place at Midas Centre, road 27 (old), Dhanmondi, Dhaka for 3 days from the 26th to the 28th of May, 2016. To stay tuned to the event email at

[email protected] or visit facebook.com/MakeathonBD.

The writer is currently in her third year of the BSc

honours in Psychology at University of Dhaka