For the most part, the dreams of success often send us on a wild goose chase. The definition of success for many lies in academic performance and for some it’s in their professional careers. But there are others, who aren’t bound by the grades they score or the degrees they earn. It’s purely based on the ideals they believe in. Owing to that, ICE picks out 12 Global Bangladeshis who dared to dream big; taking all challenges in stride, these personalities have paved a golden path for themselves by following their passions and have made their mark around the globe.
Ameerah Haq
Member of Board, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue United Nations
A technocrat from Bangladesh, Ameerah Haq excelled in her role as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Field Support. An inspirational leader, she was in charge of providing logistics and support to more than 100,000 UN peacekeepers deployed around the world. If this isn’t nerves of steel then we don’t know what is. Ameerah Haq’s outstanding service in her 38 year UN career has been momentous, to say the least. Her work encompasses a wide range of services in development, humanitarian and peacekeeping roles from East Timor to Sudan, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Laos. Her accomplishments were no easy feat. Her unmatched negotiation skills and consensus-building rapport championed the various complex mission deployments. In times of crisis management, we look to Ameerah to save the day.
Junaid Kamal Ahmad
Country Director, World Bank, India
In a universe where natural resources are scarce, some take the bull by the horns to reverse what life throws at them. Junaid is a prime example of such driven compassion. Prior to joining as India’s country director in September this year, Junaid joined the World Bank in 1991 as a Young Professional and worked on infrastructure development in Africa and Eastern Europe. Since then, he has held several management positions leading the Bank’s innumerous programs in Africa, Middle East and North Africa. The Water GP focuses on improvement of water resources management and delivery of services in a context of water in the broader economy. Senior Director for the Water Global Practice (GP), Junaid’s immense contributions have helped in building a water-secure world for all. For some, this could be just another journey but for Junaid, it was a conquest. Spending countless waking hours into reducing the gap of water scarcity, he oversaw the daily operations of the Executive office of the President. Despite having a PhD degree in Applied Economics from Stanford University, his humility surpasses his academic achievements. Leaving footprints of his work for 10 years, in North African and South Asian Region, Middle East and New Delhi, he drove the Practice’s focus on water and the economy, and emphasized institutions and resilience in water management. The former Deputy Resident Representative and Principal Economist in Johannesburg, Junaid has left no stone unturned to address the emerging concern of world water scarcity.
Nadeem Qadir
Press Minister of Bangladesh High Commission, London
From a columnist, TV anchor, author and now Press minister; Nadeem Qadir is en route to creating an assemblage of accolades for Bangladesh. Being the first ever Bangladeshi diplomat to become a member of Diplomatic Press Attaches’ Association of London, he has under his belt a UN Dag Hammarskjold Fellow in journalism. He holds the Bangladeshi flag high with his noteworthy association with media stalwarts like Agence France-Presse, Reader’s Digest magazine, TV South Asia and the Press Trust of India. A pioneer of sorts, his first production, ‘Frankly Speaking’ for NTV gave the country its first English talk show. And it wasn’t just any other show. Visiting and Dhaka-based dignitaries, diplomats and government leaders frequented the hot seat. But do you know what he enjoys the most; dressing up to the nines. His collection of suits could give Harvey Specter a run for his money. Having 6 books to his credit, the well spoken, well-versed and well dressed Nadeem’s got it all together.
Notable achievements
“My Beautiful Bangladesh” series – a coffee table book – and “Muktijuddho: Ajajana Addhya.”
Bibi Russell
International Fashion Designer
Who knew a simple man’s garb could strut its way all the way to a fashion show runway? It was Bibi Russell who made the colourful gamcha a whimsical addition to global trends. Bibi Russell’s designs reflect the humility of indigenous cultures along with the flamboyant hues one can find in a colour palette. The eminent designer has indeed created ripples in both local and international fashion scenes, which deems her as an influential figure in the industry. To Bibi, Bangladesh is a treasure trove of cultures; hence she chose to showcase how beauty lies in simplicity. Be it the tie-dyed punjabis or the rickshaw art bangles, Bibi Russell’s collection indeed adds a creative touch to this ever-growing world of fashion.
Early career: Former model for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar as well as Cosmopolitan
International affiliations: Bibi has worked with Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfield, Georgio Armani and Kenzo. She has showcased her Khadi collection in September for India Runway Week Winter-Festive 2016.
Nazim Khan
Executive Chef at Bryan Health, Lincoln Nebraska
A chef’s kitchen is no less than a battlefield. The clicking of knives and the soaring temperatures; all comes together in an organized chaos. The culinary world is fast-paced but so is Nazim Khan’s knack to keep up. A showstopper in the kitchen, his iconic clientele checks off the likes of Michelle Obama, Al Gore, Nicole Kidman, 50 Cent, Snoop Dog, Pitbull and Georgia Line. Setting the wheels in motion as a sushi chef at Sen Japanese Restaurant, Sag Harbor, NY, and Nazim has come a long way. An expert in both Japanese and French cuisine, he’s a culinary genius both on and off-screen. TV Chef at ‘Chop Chop with Chef Nazim’ at CBS2/Fox 28 in Iowa, Nazim’s show is a favourite choice amongst viewers. He treats his dishes like a stroke of art and makes each dish an experience to remember.
Akram Khan
Dancer and Choreographer
Storytelling has always been an intrinsic part of our society and culture. When the art of telling stories was gradually losing its essence in the mist of time, a spellbinding soloist emerged in the theatres in 1990s who told stories in the form of classical recitals and kathak- a dance form that interprets the mythological tales of the Indian epics. He goes by the name Akram Khan, the man who created his own vocabulary of movement that draws influence from hip-hop and Kabuki to Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction which is substantially explained by his hip-hop idol, Michael Jackson.
Akram Khan is acclaimed as one of the most interesting choreographers of his generation for his work ingeniously links physics with Hindu philosophy. Among many of his prestigious awards, Zero Degrees (2005), a duet with Flemish-Moroccan dancer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, where they danced with Gormley’s non-living body-doubles, won a Laurence Olivier award.
Akram Khan launched Akram Khan Company and his first full-length work Kaash was collaboration with Anish Kapoor and Nitin Sawhney, performed at the Edinburgh Festival.
Leepu Nizamuddin Awlia
Initiator of LEEPU Corporations
Behind every art, there’s a hefty amount of blood, sweat and tears. When you build something from scratch it goes to show how passionate you are about your craft. Leepu Nizamuddin Awlia is a perfect example of this analogy. Describing him as an innovator, won’t quite do him justice. He’s a lover of everything that revolves around cars; and it is this love for the machine that made him an automotive designer, engineer as well as a coachbuilder. Before he was transforming worn out Toyotas and Hondas, Leepu was building renditions of his dream cars. His journey as an innovator began with the Leemo-bil which was his version of the Lamborghini Countach. As he continued to drive down this career path, Leepu found himself building countless imitation luxury cars. So it goes without saying that, when it comes to cars, Leepu Nizamuddin Awlia, dedicates himself wholeheartedly. As a result, some of his topnotch designs have received appreciation in Dhaka, London as well as in the United States.
In popular culture: History Channel’s Leepu& Pitbull; a reality show where Leepu, together with Steve Pitbull Trombolli transform old cars into super cars.
Kamar Ahmed Simon
Director, Writer and Cinematographer
To be a gem of a film maker, one doesn’t necessarily have to have an academic background in film studies. Kamar Ahmed Simon is one of those beings who have surfaced in the film industry, because of his love for the silver screen. Kamar’s calling into this line of work began with Tareque Masud’s film Kagojer Phool, where he served as the chief art director. And with this, Kamar embarked on a journey to make thought-provoking films, particularly documentaries which have gained him recognition across the seas. Winning awards as prestigious as National Film Award, Grand Prix in the 35th Cinema Du Reel in Paris, Kamar’s skills and dedication as a film maker has been noted by the world and his is the kind of creativity that’s here to stay for the long haul.
Popular in the media for: Making documentaries and films such as Are you listening? Ekti Sutar Jobanbondhi, Mrittika Maya, Shonkhodhoni and Shunte ki Pao.
Rezwana Manjur
Regional Editor, Marketing Magazine Singapore
When it comes to building a career, journalism isn’t a path one goes down, out of a whim. A job like this requires one to think on their feet at all times. That’s exactly what made Rezwana Manjur the regional editor for Marketing Magazine Singapore. Having been with Marketing Magazine Singapore since 2012, she has braved the challenges of working in both its print and online editions. Multitasking has never been an issue for Rezwana, hence she has taken on multiple roles with the magazine and worked across numerous markets for years. If there’s anything else that she’s passionate about apart from her job is her love for the road. The travel enthusiast Rezwana enjoys immersing herself in the myriad of cultures that are tucked away in every corner of the world. Leading a team of journalists and editing two magazines isn’t a job for the faint hearted, but the kind of dedication with which Rezwana tackles the job is more than just admirable. In a field where there’s a hurdle strategically placed in every step of the way, Rezwana has certainly managed to sprint across them gracefully and come out victorious.
Media affiliations: Cosmopolitan Magazine, The Daily Star and Bengal Media
Asif Azim
International Model
From a small village Amjhupi in Meherpur, to establishing himself in the modeling haven of Mumbai, Asif Azim has indeed made it big. Among the top hundred male super models in the world, Asif’s rise to fame wasn’t a cakewalk. Discouraged by family and friends, the Economics graduate from Dhaka University never stopped chasing his dreams. Eventually, handpicked by outstanding designers like Bibi Russell, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Manish Malhotra, he became a favourite among celebrity designers. A fashion week regular, he walked the ramps for fashion week of Spain, Sydney and Dubai to name a few. As he worked his way up, Asif got the chance to be a part of Big Boss 7, one of the biggest and most popular reality TV show in India. But the man didn’t forget his roots; his country Bangladesh. In 2015, with an aim to fuse our unique culture through a fashion brand, he endorsed Sailor, the lifestyle brand of Epyllion Group. Through this collaboration, Asif hopes to forge stronger ties with the international fashion market and put Bangladesh on the global fashion map.
Nafees Bin Zafar
Director of Research and Development at Oriental DreamWorks in Shanghai
Nafees Bin Zafar likes to juggle between the roles of an artist and a software engineer. The amalgamation of his skills has won him the Oscar in 2008 for Pirate of the Caribbean – ‘At the world’s end’ for co-developing digital fluid effects software. Nafees would bunk his biochemistry classes and write computer programs for fun until he finally set his fidgety mind on changing his major to computer science. For Nafees, it all began when he attended a SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Graphics and Interactive Techniques) conference; he finally found his calling. However, success didn’t come easy for the young wizard. The tech maestro had to prove his abilities before he landed a job at Dreamworks.
Besides being the creator of all things fantasy, Nafees Bin Zafar is fond of exotic pets. As a child he used to own a monkey, deer, ducks, and myna birds.
A list of Nafees’s popular Filmography works are:
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (principal engineer); Puss in Boots (senior software engineer); Kung Fu Panda 2 (senior software engineer); Megamind (senior production engineer); Shrek Forever After (senior production engineer); Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief (software engineer); The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (visual effects: Digital Domain); Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (technical developer); Flags of Our Fathers (technical developer); Stealth (software engineer); The Croods (research and development principal engineer: DreamWorks Animation).
Monika Kalam
Engineering Tech at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
Hard work and resilience; these two words are a perfect fit for Monika Kalam. Growing up looking at the conservative roles that were bestowed upon women, Monika chose to play a part that’s entirely different. This instinctive need for change urged her to pursue an academic background in Web Development at the University of Houston. Even the tiniest of hopes strikes the loudest chord in places where you least expected. And soon, an ambitious Monika found herself applying for the post of Digital Media Program Coordinator for NASA. In the following years, her schedule changed from taking class notes to working with people like Astronaut Jeff Williams, who has recently returned from International Space Station (ISS) after 172 days in orbit. Currently, Monika is working with Astronaut Peggy Whitson, who is the first female commander in space. For Monika, clearly ‘sky isn’t the limit,’ cause her dreams have gone beyond them.