Building Technology and Ideas Ltd. (bti), in collaboration with The Daily Star organised the ‘bti The Daily Star Stellar Women’ on 21 January 2024 at bti Celebration Point, Gulshan-2 in Dhaka.
The Stellar Women initiative aims to celebrate women who have made significant contributions in nation building through their respective fields. This initiative will award 12 women in 12 different categories. Previously, promising women from ‘Development’, ‘Technology’, ‘Architecture’, ‘Education’, ‘Corporate’, ‘Culture’, ‘Sports’, ‘Agriculture’, ‘Startup & Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Writing’ sectors have been awarded the recognition with the same fervour.
In continuation of that spirit, in this event two extraordinary women have been recognised as ‘Stellar Women’. Founder and CEO of Moner Bondhu, Tawhida Shiropa in ‘Social Welfare’ category and Senior Reporter of Prothom Alo, Rozina Islam in ‘Journalism’ category were presented with the award for their incredible work.
Several senior officials of bti and The Daily Star were present on the occasion, including Mahfuz Anam, Editor of The Daily Star, Tajdin Hassan, Chief Business Officer at The Daily Star, Imran Kadir, Head of Marketing at The Daily Star, CEO, bti, Mr. Nalaka Hettiarachchi, bti MD F R Khan, and Aysha Siddiqua, Executive Director of Communication and Brand Management at bti. Representatives from various media organisations also graced the event with their presence.
Tawhida Shiropa, the stellar woman in ‘Social Welfare’ category, is the founder of Bangladeshi startup Moner Bondhu, which provides low-cost and trusted mental healthcare support-service.
Upon receiving the award, Shiropa stated, “Thank you bti and The Daily Star for such a beautiful platform. I hope there will be many initiatives like Stellar Women, where we can proudly present hard-working individuals who are still unsung or less heard of.”
On the other hand, Rozina Islam has been practicing fearless journalism till date. Being the special correspondent and Head of crime reporting at Prothom Alo, she truly is the ‘Stellar’ one.
After receiving the award, she appreciated this Stellar Women initiative in her welcome speech and said, “I would like to thank bti and the Daily Star for recognising me as a Stellar Woman.” She added, “I understand the struggles of female journalists and believe that women should nurture their respective talents and be fearless.”
Mr. F R Khan, Managing Director of bti said during the occasion, “bti believes in the power of acknowledging and appreciating women who have shattered glass ceilings, overcome obstacles, and made extraordinary contributions to society. The Stellar Women Awards will shine a spotlight on these incredible individuals and their stories, inspiring others to pursue their dreams fearlessly.”
