Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF) has presented "the most loved" awards to local and international brands in Bangladesh.

In its 14th edition, the Best Brand Awards were handed over in partnership with NielsenIQ and The Daily Star at Le Méridien Dhaka today.

The first, second and third awards were presented in 38 categories.

The initiative also recognised 15 overall top brands in the country. Local brands dominated with bKash, the country's leading mobile financial service provider, being adjudged best brand.

RFL Houseware and Grameenphone secured second and third places respectively.

The remaining top brands are ORSaline-N, Closeup, Radhuni, Lux, MAGGI Noodles, Super Fresh Drinking Water, Shwapno, Ispahani Mirzapore Tea, Daraz, ACI Pure Salt, Samsung TV and PRAN Frooto.

"Our greatest vision as a nation is to obtain the status graduation to become a developing country, meet Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and become a developed country by 2041," said Nazia Andaleeb Preema, director of the BBF.

"In order to reach these dynamic and timely peaks, our local brands have to play a critical and profound role. The country is relying on us with utmost faith. And we have to be a pioneer at the crossroads for the collective development," she said.

The awards are presented based on a global model of NielsenIQ. This year, the process was done through a survey of 10,000 customers across the country, which included self-administrated reviews.