By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: As many as 27 personalities from various walks of life were honoured with ‘Community Leadership Award’ in India’s north-eastern state Assam for their significant contribution to uplift the plight of society, especially of minority Muslim community despite several hurdles.
This is the inaugural edition of the award ceremony which is instituted by Education, Research and Development Foundation (ERDF), a prominent name in the education sector in the northeast region for a decade.
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One of the winners Anowaruddin Choudhury for wildlife conservation receiving the award from Union Minister K Rehman Khan
“Community Leadership Award aims at giving recognition to the pioneering works done by members of the Muslim Minority Community in different walks of the life and contributing greatly to the life of the society adding value to the system,” said Mahbubul Hoque founder of ERDF.
He hoped that if they are given appreciation and recognition for their good work in a public forum, it would not only encourage them to work with greater dedication in future but also motivate others to come out in large numbers and follow their footsteps for the good o f the community.
He further said that ERDF felt that the time has come for all the stakeholders of the minority community to work together for the overall development and thereby enabling them to avail the benefits of special schemes of the government meant for the minority communities which would ultimately let them contribute their mite for strengthening the nation.
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Mahbubul Hoque felicitates Union Minister for Minority Affairs, K Rehman Khan
“Our another aim is to explore the works done by the community leaders not only for Muslims but also for the whole community and bring them into focus which will also act as catalyst in minimising the differences and create culture of working united for greater cause,” Hoque added.
Besides, ERDF has been giving away several other awards to felicitate outstanding personalities from various sections of society for a long time.
Hoque, who started the ERDF with the Central IT College in the year 2001, rued at the lack of awareness and leadership among the minority community people for the slow progress. “Despite the fact that there are around 33 per cent of Muslim population in the state, we can hardly its presence in the government department. This is very unfortunate and I would say we are lacking in leadership besides the lack of awareness of our own rights,” he added.
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Group photograph of the winners with the Guest of honour
He also urged upon the state government to set up a minority girls hostel with 500 seats in Guwahati for the students of northeast.
Winners of community leadership awards: Prof Mohammad Taher (scholar, former Gauhati University professor), Rumena Rahman (entrepreneur, Hotel Dynasty), Maulana A Jalil Ragibi (former MLA, social worker), Haider Hussain (Veteran Journalist), Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury (eminent lawyer and scholar), Komoruzzaman N Ahmed (social worker), Dr MLA Rahman (doctor), Nakibur Zaman (advocate and social worker), Nurul Islam Laskar (Journalist and pioneer Public Relation professional), Taimur Raja Choudhury (Journalist), Taufirur Rahman Borborah (doctor, medicine expert), Mahfuza Rahman (educationist), Shabina Ahmed (doctor), Bahauddin Laskar (Social worker), Inamuddin Ahmed (social worker), Anwaruddin Choudhury (Wildlife conservationist and district administrator), Fatima Gulbadan (Social worker), Ali Haider Laskar (educationist), Abdul Hamid (Social worker), Abdul Waris Choudhury (social worker), Akdas Ali Mir (Legal Practitioner), Ahmed Hussain (educationist), Masood A Zaman (Advocate), Shamsul Hoque Choudhury (educationist), Sabur Tapadar (entrepreneur), Maniruddin Ahmed (Researcher on Medicinal Aromatic plants), Mokhlesur Rahman (social worker).
The awards were handed over by union minority affairs minister K Rahman Khanand and Assam minority affairs minister Nazrul Islam.