The Advertising Agencies Association of Bangladesh (AAAB) concluded Sharpener 2026, one of the country’s most prestigious competitions for young advertising professionals, on January 31, at the Adcomm office in Dhaka.
This year’s edition witnessed the participation of 11 teams from advertising agencies across the country, competing to demonstrate their creative thinking and strategic insight.
Following a competitive round of presentations that demonstrated strong creative and strategic thinking, Team Eraser from Grey Dhaka was selected as the winner.
The winning team members were Syeda Jannat Ahmed and Md. Shajidul Karim Dipu.
The winners of Sharpener 2026 will represent Bangladesh as Team Dhaka at the ADFEST 2026 Young Lotus Workshop, scheduled to take place from March 17–19, 2026, at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group, Pattaya, Thailand.
Participants of the workshop will also attend ADFEST 2026, which will be held from March 19–21, 2026, bringing together top young creatives from across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions.
The jury panel for Sharpener 2026 comprised senior industry leaders from esteemed agencies, including Mohammed Akrum Hossain, chief creative officer, Pop5; Rashika Osman, senior vice president & head of planning, Adcomm; and Nurur Rahman, executive creative director, Grey Dhaka.
The event was moderated by Hasib Hasan Chowdhury.
Members of AAAB’s executive committee present at the event included Syed Ahsanul Apon, general secretary, and MA Maruf, joint secretary, reflecting the association’s continued commitment to nurturing young talent within the industry.
Sharpener is open to advertising professionals under the age of 30 with a minimum of one year of industry experience.
AAAB expressed optimism that the winners of Sharpener 2026 will continue to elevate Bangladesh’s advertising industry through their creativity, dedication, and global exposure.
