<i>Honouring unsung heroes who change lives </i>

Winners of 'Shada Moner Manush Award-2008' pose for photograph at the award giving ceremony at Hotel Sheraton in the city yesterday. Unilever Bangladesh Ltd organised the event to honour 10 great hearted people who dedicated themselves to the welfare of others.Photo: STAR

There are some great hearted people in this world who have dedicated themselves to changing the lives of others, but do not want anything in return for their work.
Even they do not want publicity or recognition for their noble efforts.
Unilever Bangladesh yesterday honoured 10 such great people at a ceremony titled 'Shada Moner Manush' (people of generous heart) at Hotel Sheraton in the city in recognition of their contribution to society.
The source of their inspiration is nothing but the human spirit, Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud said at the award giving ceremony.
In this globalised world, those working selflessly for others have actually built a humane society, he said.
The people who were honoured yesterday are not rich, but they have great hearts that drove them to spread the light of education among children in remote areas, provide healthcare services, plant lakhs of trees in villages after villages and create employment opportunities.
Fazilatunnesa Bulu is one of them. A science graduate of Rangpur Carmichael College in 1948, she established Samaj Kalyan Bidyabithi, a girls' high school in 1962, a cottage industry for women and worked towards the rehabilitation of women who fought during the Liberation War in 1971.
One of the founders of Government Begum Rokeya College, Fazilatunnesa, popularly known as Bulu Apa, also played a significant role to establish the rights of women.
"I never knew that my works have so much power… I am amazed by the recognition," she said at the ceremony amid several rounds of applause.
Ten renowned singers sang for each of the ten awardees.
The others awardees are Rokib-Ud-Dowla Akand of Gaibandha, Dr Khalequzzaman of Mymensingh, Manobendra Nath Sarker of Comilla, Kanai Chandra Das of Chapainawabganj, Zahir Alam of Sylhet, Shamsuddin Mondol of Naogaon, Jahanara Begum of Khulna, Shrimath Tilokananda Mohathero of Rangamati and Shudhir Chandra Bordhon of Brahmanbaria.
Each of them received a crest, a medal and Tk 1 lakh.
Transparency International Bangladesh Chairman Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, The Begum Editor Noor Jahan Begum, Prof Anisuzzaman, language movement veteran Abdul Matin, Dr MR Khan, artist Mustafa Monowar, litterateur Selina Hossain and Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam handed over the awards to them.
Speaking at the ceremony, Valerie Taylor of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), said, "These people are so courageous that we are inspired by them."
"We pray that such great hearts will be born not only in Bangladesh, but also all over the world," she said.
Unilever Bangladesh Limited Brands and Development Director Naushad Chowdhury said Unilever has been involved in arranging the programme 'Shada Moner Manush' since 2006.
"Our objective is to highlight the values of these great people for the next generations to follow. It is not enough to be good students only, but to be good human beings, too. We want a Bangladesh where there will be more and more Shada Moner Manush," he said.