Dhaka: The British Council Bangladesh observed the Commonwealth Alumni Showcase and Networking Evening at the British Council auditorium here today. The event was jointly organized by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) and the British Council, bringing together Commonwealth alumni from across the country.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the event’s discussion mainly focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation, where participants and speakers shared their views and success stories. Speakers emphasized the need for promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation for the country’s youth and professionals with high priority ahead of the national goal ‘Vision 2041’. They noted that Commonwealth alumni, with their global exposure and expertise, can play a significant role in advancing this national agenda.
At the event, Commonwealth scholars shared their success stories in business, innovation, and job creation, encouraging collaboration and mentioning the UK’s support in developing changemakers through scholarships. The initiative also highlighted the British Council’s commitment to empowering UK-educated changemakers to contribute to inclusive and sustainable progress in Bangladesh.
British Council Country Director Stephen Forbes, in his inaugural speech, mentioned that this year they welcomed 27 Commonwealth Scholars. “The energy, talent, and ambition of those young scholars reminded us exactly why we do and what we do. Commonwealth scholarships have a lasting impact on individuals and on our society,” he said.
The event featured speeches by notable individuals, including Mohammad Abbas Uddin, an academic and entrepreneur; Ishrar Habib, an independent migration researcher; Dr. Abhishek Kumar Ghosh, a researcher specializing in healthcare innovation, artificial intelligence, and biomarker discovery; Professor Dr. Mohammad Shoeb, a health researcher; Dr. Ishrat Jahan Khan (Barsha), a gender and development expert; Dr. M. Tasdik Hasan, a public health researcher with a focus on mental health and inclusion; Nazia Islam, a public health professional at BRAC JPGSPH; and Dr. M. Shafiq-Ur Rahman, Professor of Urban Planning at Jahangirnagar University, among others.