AUW’s Green Bangle Movement wins national biodiversity award
Asian University for Women's Green Bangle Project has been recognised for its community-led conservation work at the Bangladesh BioDiversity Summit 2025, held yesterday (16 November) at the Bandarban Hill District Council Conference Hall.
The summit, organised by Mission Green Bangladesh, Green Lead and the Global Youth Platform in partnership with the Bandarban district administration, brought together policymakers, forest officials, researchers and youth groups working on climate and conservation, according to a press release.
AUW's Environmental Sciences Program, led by its director, Dr Paulraj Mosae Selvakumar, joined the event with a team of students. They took part in discussions on regional biodiversity challenges, with students from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and East Timor outlining conditions in their home countries.
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The Green Bangle Project, run by AUW students and faculty, received a national award for its work involving women in forest restoration, building coastal resilience, documenting biodiversity and running grassroots awareness campaigns. Organisers said the project stood out for linking academic learning with on-the-ground conservation results.
Other awardees included wildlife conservationist Reza Khan, Conservator of Forests Molla Rezaul Karim, and river researchers Dr Manzoorul Kibria and Monir Hossain, reflecting a broad coalition of scientific and community-based efforts honoured this year.
Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ara Rini called for stronger collective responsibility to protect the fragile ecosystems of the Chattogram Hill Tracts, noting rising pressure on forests and water resources.
The daylong summit featured discussions on forest loss, shrinking wildlife habitats, water systems and urban biodiversity, along with exhibitions and a field session led by forest and academic experts.
Project lead Dr Paulraj Mosae Selvakumar said the recognition underscores its push to nurture environmentally conscious leadership as Bangladesh faces intensifying climate and ecological stress.
