Abul Khair Group honours six changemakers

Abul Khair Group, one of Bangladesh's leading conglomerates, has honoured six exceptional individuals with the "M-Rise Hero" award for their relentless efforts to bring positive change to society despite numerous challenges.

The winners were honoured at the grand "M-Rise Gala Night" held at InterContinental Dhaka on Thursday (14 May).

The event featured documentary showcases based on the heroes' lives, hero reveals and cultural performances.

Popular actor Shakib Khan handed over honorary crests to the winners, symbolically connecting reel-life heroism with real-life changemakers.

Abul Khair Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Legal Sheikh Shabab Ahmed was also present at the event.

In the inaugural edition of M-Rise, honours were awarded to Chattogram-based technology innovator Joy Barua Lablu, who has created affordable bionic hands and opened new possibilities for many people.

Md Rostom Ali from Cox's Bazar was recognised for supporting neglected elderly people and orphaned children through the "Ma-Baba Foundation".

Animal welfare activist Md Abdul Kaiyum from Dhaka was honoured for his longstanding work in rescuing and treating stray animals.

Md Rizwan from Chattogram received recognition for his "Education for One Taka" initiative, which supports underprivileged children with educational opportunities.

Mariam from Cox's Bazar was honoured for empowering coastal women economically through seaweed farming.

Prosenjit Kumar Saha was recognised for his "Ucchash" initiative, which works on education, skill development and health awareness.

Some of the award recipients also shared their feelings and thanked Abul Khair Group for encouraging social initiatives through such a platform.

Joy Barua Lablu said, "I have always believed technology should not only be about innovation, but also about making people's lives easier and better. Seeing smiles on people's faces is what inspires me to keep moving forward. I welcome initiatives like this."

Md Rostom Ali, founder of Ma-Baba Foundation, said, "While working for neglected elderly people and orphaned children, I have always tried to prioritise humanity. I thank Abul Khair Group for recognising our work and inspiring positive social initiatives. I hope more people in the country will come forward to support humanitarian causes."

Expressing his feelings while handing over the awards, Shakib Khan said, "I am truly proud to honour these real-life heroes. The people who are silently working for society deserve this recognition."

"Their achievements are not only personal accomplishments, but also an inspiration for the entire nation. Platforms like M-Rise bring forward those individuals who create real change beyond the spotlight. I believe such initiatives will inspire younger generations to become more socially responsible and compassionate," he added.

Expressing his enthusiasm for recognising true heroes, Sheikh Shabab Ahmed said, "The journey of Abul Khair Group itself is an inspiring story. From humble beginnings, the organisation has grown into one of the country's leading conglomerates."

"Beyond business success, Abul Khair Group has always worked for the betterment of society and people. The M-Rise initiative was born from that very vision," he added.

The organisers of the M-Rise platform said this is not just an award programme, but a platform to spread the stories of individuals creating positive change across the country.

They added that similar initiatives to highlight contributors to society will continue in the future.

Alongside senior officials of Abul Khair Group, journalists and more than 100 content creators attended the event.