Finding Dr Reyan Anis
It was perhaps destiny that she should follow in the footsteps of her parents and become a physician. The late Major General Anis Waiz, father of Dr Reyan Anis, was a widely respected physician in the Bangladesh Army who, after retirement, became Principal of Bangladesh Medical College (BMC), and played a pivotal role in the development of medical education in the private sector.
Her mother, the late Colonel Rokaiya Anis, was one of the most renowned gynaecologists in post-independence Bangladesh and a pioneering female gynaecologist in the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
After graduation from Dhaka Medical College, Dr Reyan Anis completed a programme in Internal Medicine from Edinburgh Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, United Kingdom, in 1989, before joining Scotland's Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, as a clinical trainee, where she worked until obtaining the MRCP in 1991. At that time, she was one of the youngest Bangladeshis to attain such a distinction and to return to her homeland after completion of the degree. She obtained an FRCP from the Royal College of Physicians, London, in 2010.
Dr Reyan Anis has been working in the private sector since 2001, and joined the team at United Hospital in 2018.
Her work in the field of interventional cardiology is monumental, and for over three decades, Dr Reyan has been completely dedicated to her profession with a passion that leads her to keep learning, every single day.
She believes that for any woman to prosper in life, they need to be perseverant. One should not blame others for the failures in life, but instead continue to become stronger and thus, build their characters. She believes that the tenets of Islam and the glorious examples left behind by the 'mothers of believers' — the wives of the Holy Prophet (SAW) — especially Khadija (RA) and Aisha (RA), can be admirable examples for all women to emulate.
Like the women she considers her idols, Dr Reyan Anis wears many hats. Besides being an accomplished physician, she is a devoted wife, a loving mother, a caring daughter-in-law, and overall, a responsible citizen of Bangladesh who takes much pleasure in philanthropy.
As a young adult studying in the U.K., she discovered a thirst for beauty in nature through flowers. As a student, she used to buy bouquets every week, and that habit has stayed with her. Even today, much of her leisure is devoted to grow flowering plants in her own land.
An ardent follower of religion, she believes in practicing what she preaches and leads a life of discipline that also serves as an example for the people she treats.
Dr Reyan Anis considers herself a diehard foodie, and that gustatory gene has passed on to her son, who enjoys cooking as much as his mother. She, however, is also serious with her body fitness, as amid the COVID-19 outbreak, she spent much of her time in the house gym.
For decades, she has been taking musical lessons, and her devotion to the aesthetics is well expressed in her passion for art.
Among the many 'hats that she wears,' Dr Reyan Anis finds solace in philanthropy and works in different fund raising activities for the many charitable institutions and medical facilities of the Quasem Foundation, formed by her late father-in-law.
Born in a physician family, married in a family deeply involved in business and national politics, she created her own identity as a multifaceted talented cardiologist with her colourful leisurely activities in life.
Photo: Nayem Shaan and Personal Collection