8 eminent personalities to be honoured with 'bbarta gold medals' today

bbarta24.net, a popular news portal of the country, will honour eight eminent personalities with gold medals today (Tuesday) in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their own fields.

The ‘3rd bbarta gold medals award’ will be handed over at a ceremony at the National Museum in the capital on Tuesday afternoon.

Since the beginning of its journey bbarta did not limit itself only in publishing news. As a socially responsible online media house bbarta has taken many significant initiatives to make difference in the society. ‘bbarta gold medal’ is yet another humble effort which has been introduced to recognise eminent personalities who made enormous contribution in their own arenas.

The list of awardees includes Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Mustafa Jabbar (ICT), Abed Khan (Journalism), Abdul Quddus, MP, Natore-4 ( Liberation War), Barrister Tureen Afroz (Indomitable Woman), Mohammad Hossain, director General Power Cell (outstanding contributions in power sector), Jubo League Chairman Omar Faruque Chowdhury (Politics),  Nizam Chowdhury  (Economics), Dilara Zaman (Art and Culture). bbarta24.net will honour these 8 renowned personalities in eight categories this year.

Mustafa Jabbar

Mustafa Jabbar will be honoured with ‘bbarta Gold Medal’ this year in recognition of her outstanding contributions in ICT. Jabbar is a Bangladeshi businessman and technology entrepreneur.
He was appointed as the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of the Government of Bangladesh on 3 January 2018.
He also served as the president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS). He is best known for the creation of Bijoy Bengali keyboard, which was developed in 1988, and it was most widely used Bengali input method until the release of Unicode based Avro Keyboard. He served as the president of Bangladesh Computer Samity, the national ICT organisation of Bangladesh for four consecutive.

Jabbar's ancestral home is in Krishnapur village, Khaliajuri Upazila in Netrokona district. He was born on Ashuganj Upazila in Brahmanbaria District in 1949 to his parents Abdul Jabbar Talukdar and Rabeya Khatun. Jabbar passed his HSC examination from Dhaka College. In 1968, he enrolled in the Department of Bangla at the University of Dhaka and completed his BA in 1972 and MA in Journalism in 1974.

Jabbar started his career as a journalist in 1972 for Daily Ganakantha until it's shut down in 1975. In 1973, he was elected as the publicity secretary of the Dhaka Union of Journalists. He got involved in the businesses of travel agency, printing and publication. He had served as the general secretary of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB). Jabbar is a founder member of the Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) and its four-time president. He also anchored television shows on IT. Jabbar founded Ananda Computers, best known for developing the Bangla keyboard Bijoy. He heads the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services— the trade body of IT entrepreneurs in Bangladesh.
He has developed asoftware named Bijoy Shishu Shiksha for pre-school kids. He developed Prathomik Computer Shiksha, based on textbooks published by National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB). He established schools in Bangladesh including computer-based Ananda Multimedia School and Bijoy Digital School. He is involved in writing textbooks on computer in Bangla and English. Jabbar sat on several government committees on ICT affairs, including the prime minister-formed Digital Bangladesh Taskforce. He is also a member of the Bangladesh Copyright Board.

 Jabbar was a member of Mujib Bahini (Bangladesh Liberation Force) in 1971 and participated in the Liberation War of Bangladesh. He was involved in the movement of freedom of the press and was actively associated with the Dhaka Union of Journalists. He was elected as the Organising Secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ).

Abed Khan

Abed Khan is a journalist and columnist. He will be honoured with ‘bbarta Gold Medal’ this year in recognition of her outstanding contributions in journalism.

He is an influential figure in the Bangladeshi news industry in various capacities for five decades. Khan is currently editor and publisher of the Dhaka-based daily Jagoran.

Abed Khan was born in the village of Rasulpur in Khulna. His father and maternal grandfather were renowned journalists in British India. Khan graduated from Dhaka University in 1962. He began working as a sub-editor at daily newspaper Jehad at the age of 17. After working at Jehad for almost a year, he joined the daily newspaper Sangbad. In 1966, he took a position at the influential daily newspaper Ittefaq. Khan would later become Ittefaq's chief reporter.

Khan became Ittefaq's assistant editor in 1978.

In 1995, after 31 years of service at Ittefaq, Abed Khan resigned and became a freelance journalist. He continued to write for several top-ranked Bangladeshi newspapers, including Janakantha, Bhorer Kagoj, Prothom Alo and Sangbad. Janakantha published "Gaurananda Kobi Bhone Shune Punyaban" (Poet Gaurananda describes, that the pious listen to), Khan's highly popular series of satirical articles. Khan briefly served as chief of incipient broadcast network Ekushey Television's news department in 2000.
Abed Khan joined the daily Bhorer Kagoj on 18 June 2003 as its editor. He worked there from 2003 until his resignation in 2005, helping Bhorer Kagoj polish its image and recover from financial instability. Khan then acted as editor of the daily Jugantor from 2005 to 2006.[9] He also worked as editor of the daily Samakal.

In January 2010, Abed Khan founded and served as editor of a new daily newspaper, Kaler Kantho, after securing a sponsorship from Bangladeshi business conglomerate Bashundhara Group. Abed Khan resigned from Kaler Kantho on 30 June 2011, protesting against allegedly unethical articles printed in the daily and citing "the pressure to publish news that went against principle and journalism ethics" as a factor in his resignation.

In late 2011, Abed Khan announced that he would publish and edit a new daily newspaper, Jagoran. After the death of then-chief executive officer of ATN News Mishuk Munier in 2011, Khan served as its chief executive officer and chief editor. He resigned his posts in April 2013, alleging a "poisonous work environment".

Dilara Zaman

Dilara Zaman will be honoured with ‘bbarta Gold Medal’ this year in recognition of her outstanding contributions in art and culture. She is a renowned film and television actress. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1993 and Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2008.

Zaman was born in Bardhaman district in British India to Rafiquddin Ahmed and Sitara Begum in 1943. Her family then moved to Asansol. After the partition of India in 1947 they finally moved to Jessore. She studied in Bangla Bazar Government Girls High School in Dhaka. She acted her first stage play in this school. She went on to study in Eden College. She was under the mentorship of Professor Nurul Momen.

In 1966, Zaman acted her first TV drama Tridhara, directed by Tahmina Banu. She acted in numerous Bengali films and dramas over the course of 40 years. They include --The Wheel, Chandragrohon. She became a school instructor in 1967 and stayed in the job until 1993.

Zaman is married to Fakhruzzaman Chowdhury. They have two daughters - Taniya and Zubayra.


Nizam Chowdhury

Nizam Chowdhury is one of the leading business personalities of the country who is now the founding chairman of NRB Global Bank Limited. He will be honoured with ‘bbarta Gold Medal’ this year in recognition of her outstanding contributions in economic.

Nizam Chowdhury comes from a renowned respectable Muslim family. He was born on February 14, 1956 in Feni. Chowdhury passed S.S.C and H.S.C examination from Sharishadi High School and Feni Government College respectively. He completed his B.A. (Hons) and Master degree in Islamic History and Culture from the University of Dhaka in1981 & 1982. He took Political Science and Economics as subsidiary subjects. Both of the subjects have been a great impact later on him for playing a vital role in economic & political sector. After the completion of his education life he started his career with a private organization and worked there for four years. Then he got involved into their family business. He went to the United States of America in 1988. Then he worked as a Consultant in a financial institution named ‘Wells Fargo Bank’ for 7 years. Then he did diploma courses and later took part in a training session on Banking & Anti-money laundering.

During his student life Mr. Nizam Chowdhury was involved in Leadership Development Organization called Jayces International (JCI). He was elected president of Dhaka Cosmopolitan Jayces and carried out his responsibilities for the period of 1978-80. Later he was elected as chairman of International Affairs of Jayces International in Bangladesh chapter for the period of 1982-1984.

Simultaneously, he got involved in politics very actively with Bangladesh Chatra League during his student life in Dhaka University. As a top most organizer he played a very active role on behalf of Surjasen Hall of Dhaka University for holding a grand rally at Manik Mia Avenue to mark the home coming day celebration of Jononetri Sheikh Hasina on May 17, 1981.
Chowdhury also played a very significant role as the chief organizer for holding the first formal conference of USA Awami League in which Jononetri Sheikh Hasina graced the program as chief guest. In that conference Mr. Chowdhury was elected as Secretary of Publicity & Publication Affairs of USA Awami League. The second conference was held in 2001 and he was elected as the Organizing Secretary. He was elected as the Senior Joint General Secretary of the USA Awami Legue in third conference held in 2011.It is mentionable that the three conferences were held under the leadership of Jononetri Sheikh Hasina and her presence as well. Since then, Mr. Chowdhury has been carrying out his responsibilities as the Senior Joint General Secretary of USA Awami League.  

Mr. Nizam Chowdhury was the Chief Coordinator of all the receptions which were given to Jononetri Sheikh Hasina, for last 25 years. Mr. Chowdhury worked very closely with the Senators, the Congressmen and the USA Administration when an undemocratic situation was being prevailed in Bangladesh, specially, after the occurance of 1/11. He did a lot for expediting the release of Jononetri Sheikh Hasina. He played an active and successful role and had several meetings with American administration, the Senators and the Congressmen for  Shekh Hasina’s immediate release, On behalf of USA Awami League, he has been playing a leading role with American Senate, Department of US Foreign Relation Affairs Committee for South Asia, US Senate, Congress and Foreign Relation Affairs for the last 25 years.

Apart from USA Awami League Mr. Nizam Chowdhury is also an active member of American Democratic Party. As a member of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCI) he played a strong role in the US Presidential election for Barak Obama during the 2009 Election. Besides, he was actively involved with some organization such as UN Humanitarian Affairs, National Institute for Development (NID) and Bangladesh Etihash Parishad. He is also Executive Director of Max Power Limited. He is a Director of Kushiara Power Company Limited. In a bid to accelerate the economic development of the country and to provide modern banking services to the people of Bangladesh. He founded the NRB Global Bank in 2013 and he is the Founder Chairman of this Bank.
 Recently, he has been elected as a Member in the Senate of the University of Dhaka under the panel named ‘Gonotantrik Oikya Parishad’ through achieving landslide victory in the election of Senate Election-2018 by forty-four thousand Registered Graduates direct votes.

Mr. Chowdhury is also very well known as successful Motivators. He has been working for the development of Human Resources both in USA and Bangladesh for the last 20 years. Moreover he himself is a successful businessman both in home and abroad.

His wife Mrs. Danny Chowdhury looks after their family business named ‘Trade Balance US Corporation’ as its Finance Director. She is also a Director of Diamond Life Insurance Co. Limited and a Director of NRB Global Bank Limited. They are blessed with two sons Nihad Chowdhury and Navid Chowdhury. Nihad Chowdhury is now studying at NYIT University in New York as a student of Network Administration and Navid Chowdhury is now studying at New York University of BARUK as a student of Business Administration.

Barrister Dr Tureen Afroz

Barrister Dr Tureen Afroz, will be honored in the category of Indomitable Woman. She is also currently working as the Prosecutor (Additional Attorney General) of the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh. She was educated in Australia, UK, India and Bangladesh. She has been admitted as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh (1998) and a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Australia (2001).
She authored the book "Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity in Bangladesh: Trial under International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973" (published in 2010 by the Forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trial of War Criminals of 1971).
Tureen has diplomas in painting and classical music. She won the national inter-college debate championship in 1988. She stood first in the combined merit list of HSC (Humanities) in 1988 from Holy Cross College.  She has also received the prestigious KAMLA NEHRU AWARD for being the Best All-Round Student of Delhi University, India in 1992.


Mohammad Hossain

Power Cell DG Mohammad Hossain will be honored with ‘bbarta Gold Medal’ this year in recognition of her outstanding contributions in power sector. He joined in Power Cell as assistant director in 1996.

Mohammad Hossain graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). He obtained his MBA from IBA, Dhaka University. He also obtained from post graduate diploma IHRD from Denmark.

During his 27 years professional experiences he served in number of organizations in different capacities. Presently, he is the director general of Power Cell, Ministry of Power, and Energy and Mineral Resources. He is the professional leader and secretary of Institute of Engineers and Bangladesh (IEB).

Hossain is the member of JSC for Bangladesh-India Cooperation in Power Sector   and and led JWG for Renewable Energy Cooperation   between Bangladesh and India. He is also member of Taskforce for Policy and legal issue of SAIR/EI, member of the D-8 working Group on RE.   

Also, Abdul Quddus, MP, Natore-4 will be honoured for his outstanding contribution in  Liberation. And  Jubo League Chairman Omar Faruque Chowdhury will be honored for his contribution in politics.
 

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