Bangladesh High Commission London confers awards to British-Bangladeshi outstanding academic achievers.
London, 18 February: The Bangladesh High Commission in London, for the 11th consecutive year, organised an exceptional event to confer awards to the British-Bangladeshi brilliant students on Saturday 18 February 2017 at the Kensington Town Hall in Central London. Through the event, the High Commission awarded a total of 88 students who achieved at least 10 ‘A’/’A*’ in GCSE and 3 ‘A’/’A*’ in ‘A’ level examinations. The awardees received a crest and a certificate from the Guests of Honour and Special Guests.
To promote mother tongue Bangla and preserve the tradition, the High Commission at the initiative of new High Commissioner Md. Nazmul Quaunine for the first time awarded/recognised the students who have done exceedingly well in Bangla examination. Also, to recognise the lasting contribution to the mother tongue and for the historic song on Ekushey February ‘Amar Bhaiyer Rôkte Rangano Ekushe February Ami Ki Bhulite Pari…’ eminent journalist, columnist and writer Mr. Abdul Gaffar Choudhury was presented with Life Time Achievement Award.
The High Commissioner in his welcome address mentioned that for a decade the High Commission organised the event to recognise the academic excellence of the British-Bangladeshi students who have made Bangladesh proud and elevated the image of Bangladesh community in the UK.
He hoped that these young boys and girls will lead in their respective fields in the future and their success would inspire the succeeding generations of the diaspora for even better achievements. He urged the students to maintain close links with their lineage and nurture their cultural inheritance.
He mentioned that under the astute leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh was well on course to become a middle-income country by 2021, in the realisation of the dreams of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led the War of Liberation to establish a prosperous Bangladesh. He viewed that a prosperous Bangladesh would be a matter of greater pride for the students and their parents.
Bangladesh Minister for Liberation War Affairs Mr. A.K.M. Mozammel Huq MP, UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Minister for Aviation) The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Dipu Moni MP and Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh Anne Main MP were present at the occasion as Guests of Honour. Besides, Members of House of Lords – Lord Sheikh, Baroness Verma; Members of European Parliament Jean Lambert MEP, Members of House of Commons- Stephen Timms MP, Paul Scully MP, and eminent journalist Abdul Gaffar Choudhury were, among others, attended the programme as the Special Guests. All the invited guests expressed great satisfaction at the excellent academic success of British-Bangladeshi students and hoped that future leaders of the UK would come out from these students who could contribute to the progress and prosperity of both Bangladesh and the UK.
Apart from the awardees and their parents, the guests included leaders of the community, business, media, academia and other dignitaries. About 500 people attended the ceremony. A cultural programme was also held to showcase the rich heritage of Bangladesh. To mark the event, the High Commission has published a 28-page Souvenir.
– Nadeem Qadir, Minister Press