Changemaker awards to honour innovation in leather and footwear
Footwear Exchange and ASK Trade & Exhibitions Pvt Ltd are set to host the inaugural Changemaker Awards, recognising excellence and innovation in Bangladesh's leather and footwear sector.
The Awards Gala Night will be held on Friday 5 December 2025 at Hall 5 of the International Convention City Bashundhara, alongside the 11th edition of LEATHERTECH Bangladesh 2025.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Water Resources, will attend as chief guest. Dr Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Md Saiful Islam, Chairman of BSCIC, will also be present.
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'The Changemaker Award is designed to recognise innovators whose vision and ingenuity will propel the industry forward. We want to highlight their efforts and showcase the sector's capability to position Bangladesh as a top global supplier,' said Mizanur Rahman, Editor of Leather & Footwear Hive.
Jakaria Shahid, Managing Director of Edison Footwear Limited, will deliver the keynote speech titled 'Bangladesh Leather Sector – Way Ahead'. This will be followed by a panel discussion on 'Localisation 360: Materials, Tech, Future', featuring Firoz Alam of GIZ; Syed Mushfequr Rahman of NBR; Shamim Kabir of Step Shoe Last & Accessories; Md Nasrullah of Apex Footwear Ltd; and Md Golam Shahnewaz of DTIEWTPCL (CETP). Firoz Alam will moderate the session.
Nominations were invited in Process Efficiency, Sustainable Practice, and Support Services, evaluated on impact, scalability, market relevance, and creativity. Intertek screened the nominations, and an expert jury curated the final list. Winners will be announced at the Gala Night in the presence of policymakers, bankers, buyers, academics, exporters, and investors.
Mohammed Nazmul Hassan, Senior Vice President of LFMEAB and Managing Director of Leatherex Footwear Industry Ltd chair the jury. Other jury members include Md Mominul Ahsan of E-Zone HRM; Dr Md Houmyoun Kabir Khan of BIDA; Badria Anis of Bangladesh Export Ltd; Major Md Rafiqul Islam (Retd), Secretary General of LFMEAB; and Mohammad Ali Bappy, President of LETS'B.
A.K.M. Mosphiqur Rahman Masud, Managing Director of Accenture Footwear & Leather Products Ltd, has been selected as the Emerging Changemaker.
A special segment of the evening will honour the late Syed Manzur Elahi, Chairman of Apex Group, for his legacy of excellence in the sector.
Objectives of the Changemaker Awards
- Recognise excellence in innovation, sustainability, process efficiency, and sectoral support
- Inspire industry-wide progress through shared best practices
- Foster collaboration among leaders, professionals, and young talents
- Promote global visibility for Bangladesh's leather and footwear industry
- Encourage the next generation of industry changemakers.
