Live Correspondent: The British Council has celebrated the Study UK Alumni Awards 2021 in Bangladesh by announcing the three Alumni Awards winners. The winners have been recognised for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders and their significant contribution to strengthening collaborative ties between the UK and Bangladesh.

The prestigious international award celebrates UK higher education and the achievements of UK alumni all over the world. Now in its 7th year, the award received more than 1,300 applications from international UK alumni in more than 114 countries, representing more than 148 UK higher education institutions across the UK.

Following in-depth interviews with a judging panel, the Alumni were selected for the three award categories: Professional Achievement, Entrepreneurial, and Social Impact.

The Professional Achievement Award, which recognises alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership in their professional field, was presented to Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, a graduate of London Business School. Ashik is fulfilling his dream of making a difference by leading the sustainable finance efforts at HSBC in Bangladesh. He has also co-founded choloshobai.com, a crowdfunding platform that is supporting thousands of people affected by COVID-19.

The Social Impact Award, which acknowledges alumni who have made an exceptional contribution to creating positive social change, was presented to Nilufar Fatema Chowdhury, a graduate of Imperial College London. Nilufar credits her education at Imperial College London for equipping her with the skills to improve the lives of disadvantaged communities in Bangladesh.

She works as a consultant cardiologist and has co-founded the Mannan Foundation Trust, a charity working to address social and economic inequality and climate injustice. The Entrepreneurial Award, which highlights alumni who have played a leading role in innovation or creative solutions, was presented to Zahin Razeen, a graduate of the University of Glasgow. Zahin has been utilising technology to make a positive impact on society and the environment.

He has built four technology companies, such as Hydroquo+ and Quantum Polychemics, which address water-related challenges and the demand for sustainable plastics. Upon receiving the award, Zahin Razeen has said, “Studying in the UK at one of the most dynamic universities in the world has had a significant impact on my life.”

Tom Miscioscia, Director Bangladesh, British Council, said, “The remarkable individuals we are celebrating at the Study UK Alumni Awards in Bangladesh have all taken their UK education as a starting point to excel in their chosen careers and shape the world around them. This year’s awards are testimony to the diversity of UK alumni and their endeavours and the transformative impact of a UK education. With over 20,000 UK alumni in Bangladesh, there is much more to celebrate.

As Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of its extraordinary journey as a nation, this year also marks 70 years since the British Council has opened the doors of its first office in Dhaka. Looking forward, we will renew our focus on creating opportunities for young people to access quality education and will help more students to connect to UK universities.”

Bangladesh is one of the four countries that is celebrating winners’ virtually this year and is followed by the other three nations, including Vietnam, Turkey, and Nigeria. Several other countries are hosting award ceremonies either virtually or at a physical venue to celebrate the success of the winners and finalists.

Dhaka, 01 may (campuslive24.com)//AIT