Award
Prof Saleemul Huq wins OBE for climate fight
The UK has awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) honour to Professor Saleemul Huq for his work to combat climate change in Bangladesh and build climate expertise in Bangladesh, in the UK, and around the globe. Prof Huq has dedicated his professional life to helping developing countries and vulnerable communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.
His scientific research, at leading universities and centres of excellence in the UK and in Bangladesh, has informed international policy on climate change for over 35 years.
Accepting his OBE, Prof Huq said it is a great honour and pleasure for him to receive the OBE.
"As a dual Bangladeshi and British citizen, I have been working for two decades to enhance collaboration between the universities and researchers in both countries to tackle the twin global challenges of poverty eradication and dealing with climate change.” Robert Chatterton Dickson, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, said he is delighted that Prof Huq has been recognised with one of the UK’s most prestigious honours.
"With his passion, eloquence, and commitment to an all-of-society approach, Huq has deservedly become one of the most trusted and respected global commentators on the climate crisis. He also symbolises the very strong intellectual and people-to-people links between the UK and Bangladesh," he said. Judith Herbertson, Development Director, British High Commission Dhaka, said there is overwhelming evidence that, if global temperatures exceed the 1.5°C limit agreed in Paris, climate change will bring dangerous and irreversible impacts with the poorest and most vulnerable people suffering the most, including millions in Bangladesh.
READ: Travel literature: Uday Hakim gets Songsoptok Sahitya Award 2021
"Professor Huq has been a stalwart partner over the last many years always encouraging greater ambition, more attention to evidence and research, and a focus on locally-led adaptation.” In Bangladesh, Prof Huq has been a leading author of the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan as well as contributing to the Nationally Determined Contribution and National Action Plan on Adaptation.
He is also a close adviser to the government on climate action, and a pivotal member of the Bangladeshi delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), having participated in all 26 Conferences of the Parties.
He is a leading public voice on the urgent imperative of climate action. In the UK, Prof Huq has led the climate change team at the International Institute for Environment and Development, contributing to the wealth of scientific evidence for climate change, how this constrains development, and how the UK can best support climate action in vulnerable countries, including through advising on UK Aid programmes. Globally, Huq has been a lead author in the third, fourth and fifth Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which have raised global awareness to the evidence for climate change, the potential and visible impacts, and the need for urgent and universal action.
He was a member of the IPCC that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. In the UNFCCC, Huq advises the Least Developed Countries group.
He has also been an adviser to the Climate Vulnerable Forum, an association of 55 climate-vulnerable nations, which was instrumental in securing commitment from all parties to aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C – a central goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Professor Saleemul Huq is the Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) in Dhaka, Bangladesh and is Professor at the Independent University Bangladesh (IUB).
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He is also Chair of the Expert Advisory Group for the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and Senior Adviser on Locally Led Adaptation with Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) headquartered in the Netherlands.
Travel literature: Uday Hakim gets Songsoptok Sahitya Award 2021
Uday Hakim– writer, journalist, corporate personality – has been honoured with Songoptok Sahitya Award 2021 for his contribution to travel literature.
He received the award from Bangla Academy Director General Poet Nurul Huda at a programme in the capital on December 26.
The programme was arranged on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and the 31st founding anniversary of Songsoptok.
Nurul Huda attended the function as the chief guest while Songsoptok's proprietor Shahidul Islam was the chair.
As of now, Uday has penned 10 books, including three travelogues.
His notable works include, "Darjeeling e Brihsti," "Kalimpong e Roud," "Rohossomoy Adam Pahar," "Sundori Jelekonna," "Rohossomoy Guha," "Helichair," and 'Mass of Ghosts."
READ: Travel literature: Uday Hakim gets Songsoptok Sahitya Award 2021
Uday joined Walton in 2010 and is now working as the executive director of the company.
He was born in 1975 in Mirzapur upazila, Tangail. After completing his graduation and post-graduation in mass communication and journalism from the University of Dhaka, he worked for 12 years in national Bangla dailies including, Prothom Alo, Amar Desh, and Kaler Kantha.
READ: Bangla Academy confers eminent personalities with Awards, Honorary Fellowship for 2021
Radwan Mujib to hand over Joy Bangla Youth Award
Radwan Mujib, a trustee of Centre for Research & Information (CRI), will confer the "Joy Bangla Youth Awards" to 15 youth-driven groups today (Monday).
They have worked with scarce resources but hugely impacted on communities with their innovative projects.
Themed on the Liberation War and name after the war cry of the Bengali freedom fighters , the Joy Bangla Youth Award (JBYA) created more expectations this year than any of the previous since the country is celebrating the 50th year of its independence.
Though the event takes place once every two years, this year the gap has been slashed to one year to time it with the golden jubilee of the country’s victory from the occupation army of Pakistan.
The event will feature recorded speeches of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also the chairperson of CRI, said sources at Young Bangla, the youth platform of CRI that took the initiative of launching the Joy Bangla Youth Award.
Read: Joy Bangla Youth Award brings about stories of silent young changemakers
JBYA 2021, the fifth installment of the award, received entries from a total of 750 youth-led organizations that are silently transforming society. The applications were inspected by a high-octane jury including celebrities such as cricketer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and actress Jaya Ahsan. They shortlisted 31 applicants, out of which 15 will receive Joy Bangla Youth Award.
Since its inception in 2014, JBYA has awarded 120 organizations for changing the social paradigm and advancing inclusion. Young Bangla, the largest network of the country’s youths, is a hub of 12,500 volunteers, 2,00,000 members, 300 youth organizations.
The goal of this platform is not just awarding or recognizing the young changemakers but also helping them network, connect with policymakers, and receive proper grooming.
Owing to the supports provided by Young Bangla, a couple of past awardees later claimed international recognitions, including Sadat Rahman, who won International Children’s Peace Prize for his contribution against cyberbullying.
Through CRI’s youth platform Young Bangla, which launched Joy Bangla Youth Award, Radwan is working to empower and inspire young people through numerous initiatives to create entrepreneurs and leaders.
Radwan Mujib turned a youth icon through his interactive sessions with young people and creative projects such as films, comics, and concerts to present history in the form of stories.
Read: ‘Joy Bangla’ to be national slogan: HC
His creative endeavors include Mujib, a graphic novel based on the unfinished memoir of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, setting a unique trend in the country to tell history for kids in the form of comics, blending learning with entertainment.
Radwan also co-produced Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale, a docufiction that PM Sheikh Hasina's trials and tribulations after the massacre of much of her family, including her Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
A London of School of Economics graduate, Radwan edits the country’s first policy-based magazine WhiteBoard, covering the gamut of policy issues through in-depth analysis from globally acclaimed academics, researchers, and experts.
Winners of 2021 UiPath Automation Excellence Awards announced
UiPath recently announced the winners of the third edition of the UiPath Automation Excellence Awards. The awards aim to recognize and celebrate UiPath customers in South Asia for the business impact created by driving innovation using automation in their respective fields.
SQ Group and Grameenphone were among the 31 winners across the 15 award categories.
The limitless possibilities that automation offers have inspired organizations to undertake transformational projects, to address the problems presented by the changing world around us. UiPath aims to recognize game-changing automation projects and inspire companies aspiring to solve some of the greatest business challenges with automation.
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“It is extremely encouraging to see how automation has impacted the businesses of some of the largest organizations in the region. The digital revolution the world is witnessing, has spurred organizations to rethink and innovate how it approaches business functions,” said Anil Bhasin, Managing Director & Vice President, UiPath India and South Asia.
“On behalf of everyone at UiPath, I extend my heartiest congratulations to all the automation champions,” he added.
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Reminiscing on the judging process, K S Viswanathan, Vice President-Industry Initiatives, NASSCOM said, "It was an exhilarating experience partnering with UiPath to identify innovators in the automation space. The complete process was transparent, and the hours that we spent as jury makes me feel that we as a country have a powerful story to share on cognitive RPA and Intelligent Automation."
Grey Advertising gets Highest VAT-Payer Award in service category
Grey Advertising has won the Highest VAT-Payer Award in the service category this year.The National Board of Revenue (NBR) announced the names of nine companies as the highest VAT-payers on National VAT Day Friday.Awards were given in production, business and service categories.The NBR has been regularly honouring the highest VAT payers for several years.
READ: NBR to award 9 companies for paying highest VAT
Syed Gousul Alam Shaon, managing partner and country head of Grey, said: "We have received many international honours or awards like Cannes Lions and Grand Effie. But, this VAT award is truly an exceptional achievement for us."The winners of this year's award were selected as the highest VAT-paying organisations in the fiscal year 2019-20.Organisations that have an electronic business identification number (EBIN), issue regular VAT receipts to the consumer, and regularly deposit the collected VAT in the government treasury were considered eligible for this award.
Prof Mahboob awarded for outstanding contribution to creating entrepreneurs
Professor Muhammad Mahboob Ali, coordinator, department of entrepreneurship economics, Dhaka School of Economics, has been honored for his outstanding contribution of creating new entrepreneurs.
The daily global nation awarded prof Ali recently for his continuing efforts to inspire youth to become entrepreneurs.
READ: Women entrepreneurs ‘struggling to survive’ in aftermath of pandemic
Prof Ali has been serving as the head of entrepreneurial economics department.
He completed postdoctoral (Entrepreneurship, Thailand), PhD (Macroeconomics), MPhil (Financial Economics), MCom (India), MCA, MSS, BSS (Honours-Economics).
Prof Ali is the only person in Bangladesh who did post Doctorate in Entrepreneurial Management.
Expressing his feelings to UNB, Prof Ali said that he tried to create Entrepreneurial Education.
“I first introduced Bachelor of Entrepreneurial Economics education, Post graduate diploma in Enterprise Development, Master of Entrepreneurship Economics in Dhaka School of Economics,” he said.
READ: How Bangladesh Bank is encouraging more women to become entrepreneurs
He also works as the first coordinator of undergraduate programmes in a private university.
Prof Ali received an award from Global Entrepreneurship Grid from India for spreading Entrepreneurship education in Bangladesh.
Jute Sanitary Napkins: Bangladeshi scientist Farhana Sultana got awarded for eco-friendly innovation
Farhana Sultana, an assistant scientist at icddr,b, has received the grand award for her suggested innovation, which involves building a machine to create jute cellulose-based disposable sanitary pads for long-term menstrual health. For women and girls in Bangladesh, it offers an alternate solution for menstrual health and hygiene. Ms Sultana designed and piloted the jute cellulose-based disposable pad in partnership with Dr Mubarak Ahmed Khan, scientific advisor at Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation, according to an icddr,b announcement on its official Facebook page.
Jute-Based Sanitary Pad made in Bangladesh
Farhana Sultana has been the primary researcher for a number of menstruation management programs. The Islamic Development Bank gave her a $100,000 (Tk 8.4 million) grant to create jute napkins, minimizing the usage of plastics. For a long time, Farhana Sultana and her colleagues have been focusing on menstruation management. The researches have led them to finally propose the idea of jute cellulose-based sanitary pads for women and girls.
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Tishan Mahfuz, a team intern researcher, said they put biometric devices in four schools in Dhaka and Manikganj to find out why female students were missing classes. According to Tishan, the percentage of absences decreased when plans were made to provide sanitary napkins in the school.
Who is Farhana Sultana?
Bangladeshi scientist Farhana Sultana is currently involved with the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene research group at International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). Her mission is to reduce the burden of communicable illnesses in Bangladesh by designing, testing, and implementing low-cost and long-term interventions in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors among low-income and high-risk individuals.
Read BUILD explores producing paper pulp from whole jute plant
IBBL receives 'Most Outstanding Islamic Bank 2021' award
Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) has achieved the UK-based "Award for the Most Outstanding Islamic Bank 2021."
"Recognising IBBL's outstanding services to the community," The Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) conferred the award on the bank.
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This 11th Global Islamic Finance Awards was announced at a virtual program on September 14s.
Professor Humayon Dar, chairman of GIFA, delivered the welcome speech at the programme.
READ: IBBL inaugurates Maheshpur branch in Jhenaidah
High officials from international regulatory agencies, banks and non-banking financial institutions joined the event, according to a media statement.
Ballon d'Or 2021: Five favorites to win the coveted award
Since 1956, France Football magazine has given the Ballon d'Or to the best player of the year. Usually, the top players from the World Cup, continental football tournaments, and European club football championships fight for the prestigious award. During the selection process of the best footballer of the year, the finest individual performances in the Euro 2020 and Copa America 2021 competitions will be given more priority. Therefore, all eyes are stuck on the best performers in major events. Let’s see who are the top five potential candidates for the Ballon d'Or 2021 award.
Top Five Contenders for the Ballon d'Or 2021 Award
We have compiled a list of the top five individual performers this year for the renowned Ballon d'Or award 2021. Take a look at the players who made our list.
05) N'Golo Kante (France & Chelsea)
Kante’s accomplishments in 2021: Champions League and UEFA Super Cup
N'Golo Kante has been Chelsea's most consistent performer this season. Chelsea qualified for the Champions League final thanks to Kante's outstanding performances in the knockout stages. He was outstanding in the CL final against Manchester City, helping the Blues win the tournament for the second time last May. Kante's influence on the current Chelsea squad can't be denied despite the fact that he was relatively quiet in the Euro 2020 tournament for France. Kante is expected to be one of the top five candidates for the Ballon d'Or 2021 award.
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04) Romelu Lukaku (Belgium & Inter Milan)
Lukaku’s accomplishments in 2021: Serie A
Striker Romelu Lukaku's fortunes turned around after transferring from Manchester United to Inter Milan in 2019. He helped Inter Milan win the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years with 24 goals and 11 assists. He was Serie A's most valuable player for the 2020/2021 season. Lukaku had a quiet EURO campaign for Belgium, which might affect his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or award. The charismatic forward joined Chelsea from Inter Milan during the summer transfer window of 2021. Lukaku has been one of the top performers for Chelsea in the 2021-2022 season.
03) Robert Lewandowski (Germany & Bayern Munich)
Lewandowski’s accomplishments in 2021: Bundesliga & DFL Super Cup
Robert Lewandowski has been one of the finest strikers in the world in the last ten years. He broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season with 41 goals in the 2020/2021 season. Bayern Munich's most prolific striker has made an excellent start this season. However, Lewandowski failed to lead Poland to the knockout round of the EURO 2020 competition. Despite this, he scored three goals for the Polish national team in the tournament.
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02) Jorginho (Italy & Chelsea)
Jorginho’s accomplishments in 2021: Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA European Championship 2020
Italian creative midfielder Jorginho has won more trophies than anybody else on the list in terms of winning silverware. Jorginho was a key player for Italy at EURO 2020, and he helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2021. Jorginho is one of the leading candidates for the Ballon d'Or 2021.
01) Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)
Messi’s accomplishments in 2021: Copa del Rey, Copa America 2021
Individually, Lionel Messi had done well for Barcelona last season, assisting them in winning the Copa del Rey. However, Lionel Messi has emerged as one of the leading contenders for the Ballon d'Or 2021 award after winning the Copa America 2021. Lionel Messi's first major trophy with the Argentina national team came in this tournament. Messi was a standout performer for Argentina at the South American Championship. Deservedly, he is now in the lead in the race for the coveted individual trophy.
Read SAFF Championship: Bangladesh kick off against Sri Lanka in opener Friday
Bottom Line
The Ballon d'Or 2021 award will be presented to the best player of the year on November 29, at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris. Personal performance is taken into consideration when picking the best footballer of the year. That’s why sports journalists, national team captains, and coaches will evaluate the individual performances of the nominated footballers before selecting the eventual winner.
Based on the achievements of the players, Argentina's Lionel Messi is the overwhelming favorite to win his seventh Ballon d'Or award this year. The diminutive Argentine magician won his first trophy with the national team last July and this success is likely to influence many panelists to vote for Messi. Italy's Jorginho and Polish striker Lewandowski also have a fair chance of winning the award since they have done well for their respective teams. On the other hand, Kante and Lukaku are also on the list by virtue of their praiseworthy performance in 2021
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IU teacher gets best research award in Australia
Rafiquel Islam, an assistant professor of the applied chemistry and chemical engineering department of Islamic University in Kushtia, hasbeen conferred with the prestigious Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Australasia (SETAC-AU) best research publication award-2021 in Australia.
According to university sources, Rafiquel Islam is now working as a PhD researcher at the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Australia. The subject of his research is ‘Hormonal compounds and their adverse effects on marine and estuarine aquatic life’.
He got the award for research that demonstrated how hormones act as the essential elements in the body of rock oysters.
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The research was presented in an Australia Conference held on August 30 to September 2, where he received the best publication award for this research.
The research paper was published in the Elsevier Aquatic Toxicology journal earlier.
Teachers and students of different departments congratulated him as a Bengali researcher and educator.
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