The American Alumni Association (AAA), a group of American college and university graduates in Bangladesh, has recognized exceptional American alumni for their enormous contributions to Bangladesh’s development. On Thursday, October 26, 2023, the award ceremony was held in The Westin Dhaka’s Grand Ballroom.
The Chief Guest of the event was the Honorable Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Justice Obaidul Hassan, while the Co-Chair was Dr. Mashiur Rahman, Economic Affairs Adviser to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The AAA’s President, Ms. Nusrat Feroz Aman, and Treasurer, Mr. Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed, were joined at the award ceremony by members of the Association, including the Executive Council, past Presidents, foreign dignitaries, business executives, media representatives, and other notable visitors.
Winners received crests as awards in several categories. Saima Wazeed, Chairperson, Executive Committee, Shuchona Foundation awarded for the category Education, Bimalangshu R. Dey, MD, PhD Associate Professor of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard University was awarded for service to society, Dr. Qudsia Huda, Head of Disaster Risk Management and Resilience at WHO Headquarters awarded for Public Affairs & International Development, Professor Syed Munir Khasru, Chairman, The Institute for Policy, Advocacy, and Governance (IPAG) was awarded for Policy & Governance, Sonia Bashir Kabir, Founder, SBK Tech Ventures was awarded for Innovation/Business, Professor Ehsan Hoque, Chief Scientist, National Center for Artificial Intelligence, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), was awarded for Science & Technology, Iresh Zaker, Managing Director, Asiatic Experiential Marketing Ltd. and Good Company was awarded for Art & Culture, Professor Rounaq Jahan, PhD, Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) was awarded for Life Time Achievement Award.
The co-chair of the event, Dr. Mashiur Rahman said: ‘I am particularly impressed by the diversity of the awardees tonight. They represent a wide range of fields, from education and healthcare to business and government. This diversity reflects the strength and vitality of the AAA and its commitment to making a difference in Bangladesh. I would like to congratulate the awardees on their well-deserved recognition. Your work is an inspiration to us all. And I would like to thank the AAA for its important work in promoting American education and Bangladeshi development.’
President of AAA Ms. Nusrat Feroz Aman said: `Their work is inspiring, and it is a testament to the power of American education. Our awardees have shown us what is possible when Bangladeshis are given the opportunity to study in the United States. They have worked at home and abroad with the knowledge and skills to make a real difference in the lives of their fellow citizens. And they are doing just that.’
In his speech, the Honorable Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Justice Obaidul Hassan recognized the outstanding contribution in each field and congratulated the awardees. He said: “To attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all its citizens need to step forward and strengthen different sectors through education, innovation, service to society, public affairs, science and technology, and also in arts and culture. I appreciate the efforts made by the American Alumni Association to recognize outstanding contributions, and I congratulate the AAA Awards winners.”
The President of AAA, Ms. Nusrat Feroz Aman, welcomed all the members of AAA and respected dignitaries to the ceremony. The AAA Awards is a prestigious recognition to highlight the contributions of Bangladeshis who have graduated from American colleges and universities. These individuals are making a significant impact on Bangladesh’s development in a variety of fields, and their work is a testament to the power of American education.
A cultural event and networking meal took place after Justice Obaidul Hassan’s closing remarks during the award ceremony.
