TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023

Meet the talented and inspiring winners and finalists of the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023, an awards programme where TAAGA recognises young female professionals for their exemplary feat at work. These exceptional individuals have been recognised for their outstanding achievements and contributions in their respective fields. From diverse backgrounds and industries, they represent the best and brightest of Bangladesh's young female professionals. We are honoured to celebrate their accomplishments and look forward to their future impact on society.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists!

For regular updates on the awards programme, please visit: https://taagaawards.com

Now, let's get to know more about our winners and finalists!

Labiba Mustabina Oishee is one of the three winners for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Labiba brings a unique blend of expertise in Biochemistry and Business to her current role at Renata Limited, where she evaluates business opportunities using her scientific knowledge. Her unconventional academic background has allowed her to excel in a field where diversity is often limited.

Labiba has been thriving in her current role for almost 3 years, leveraging her vast array of skills and experiences from previous work experiences, including journalism, graphic designing, marketing, and laboratory-based analytical research. Her passion for learning and continuous growth is evident in her approach to her work. She cherishes the freedom to learn and develop her skills on multiple fronts simultaneously.

We are proud to have Labiba Mustabina Oishee as one of the three winners and look forward to witnessing all the great things she will accomplish in the future. 

Maria Kibtia is one of the three winners for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Maria's passion for using data-driven decision making and analytical skills led her to pursue a career in operations and strategic planning.

Maria has been with BAT Bangladesh for over two and a half years, and in her current role as an Area Manager she leads a team that works to reduce the company's impact on the environment and improve the livelihoods of local partners.

Maria's commitment to empowering people and promoting equality is evident in her work with rural communities, where she strives to provide guidance and training to improve livelihoods, especially for talented and hardworking rural women who often go unrecognised. Her strong values and leadership qualities are also central to her approach to work and personal life.

We are proud to have Maria Kibtia as one of the three winners, and we look forward to seeing her continue to make a positive impact on the company and society as a whole. See

Forhat Nazib Chowdhury is one of the three winners for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Forhat's dedication to her work and passion for creating positive change in the world has set her apart as an exceptional young professional.

As a Manager of Climate Responsive Infrastructure, Forhat has demonstrated a deep commitment to understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change in infrastructure development. Her work has already made a significant impact in her field which includes designing a Learning Center in a remote village in Cox's Bazar where electricity is unavailable. Forhat faced various challenges during the project, but her innovative approach, which includes the use of basic construction material like bricks in an angular way, helped create a comfortable environment inside the school, despite the hot and humid climate.

Apart from her work in infrastructure development, Forhat has also formed the first "All Women Female Worker Group" in Rohingya Camp, which has trained and employed Rohingya women as construction workers.

We are proud to have Forhat Nazib Chowdhury as one of the three winners, and we look forward to seeing her continue to make a positive impact on the society in the days to come.

Anika Meahnaz is one of the six finalists for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Anika started her journey at Kalurghat Factory of Unilever Bangladesh in 2019 as a Graduate Engineering Trainee, where she found her passion for production and operations. She has successfully led various projects in quality and safety, resulting in improved productivity and product performance in the market.

A significant improvement in factory performance was achieved due to Anika's efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She organised training sessions and communication activities to create a comfortable work environment for new joiners, which led to the 'Power of Hundred' movement. Anika also led initiatives that led to an increase in recruitment of women by enhancing the Kalurghat factory's infrastructure by including restrooms and prayer rooms.

She is currently responsible for the Beauty and Well-Being business group, where she focuses on minimising waste and being more adaptive to changes in the growing market.

We are proud to recognize Anika Meahnaz as one of the six finalists of the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023 and look forward to her continued contributions to the industry.

Dr. Nazmee Kabir is one of the six finalists for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Dr. Kabir's remarkable journey as an Orthopaedic Surgeon, especially as a woman in a field that is predominantly male dominant, is truly inspiring.

After completing her MBBS from Bangladesh Medical College in January 2013, Dr. Kabir pursued her passion for Orthopaedics by joining the Department of Orthopaedics as an Assistant Registrar. Despite facing discouragement from many, she remained determined to achieve her dream of becoming an Orthopaedic Surgeon. Her perseverance paid off as she went on to complete her Diploma in Orthopaedics from BSMMU in January 2019 and joined Evercare Hospital Dhaka as a Specialist in Orthopaedics, where she has been working for the past four years.

For Dr. Kabir, the healing of patients after treatment, and their satisfaction of patients are all very rewarding. Her passion for her work is fueled by her mentors who inspired and encouraged her to pursue her dreams.

We are proud to have Dr. Nazmee Kabir as one of the finalists of the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023, and we are excited to see the great things she will continue to achieve in the future.

Sahida Fatema is one of the six finalists for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. As an Operation Manager at Foodpanda Bangladesh, Sahida has been instrumental in managing customer experience and satisfaction through her team of customer service agents. She has shown exceptional leadership skills and her passion for learning and personal growth has been evident in her work.

Sahida has been working with Foodpanda for almost three years, during which she has taken up various roles and responsibilities, including Rider Engagement Manager and Rider Recruitment Manager. She deals with over 30,000 riders and takes an active interest in addressing the impact of digital technology in the gig economy.

Sahida’s leadership skills and passion for learning and personal growth are not limited to managing customer service and rider engagement at Foodpanda. She has also been instrumental in ensuring the safety and well-being of the company's active riders in Bangladesh. Sahida spearheaded a project to provide insurance coverage for the gig economy freelancers who work as riders for Foodpanda, despite the absence of any structured insurance model for the community in Bangladesh.

We are excited to see what the future holds for Sahida Fatema and wish her all the best in her career.

Shabnam Rafat Ummey Sawda is one of the six finalists for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Sawda's impressive background in network planning, optimization, and product management within the telecom industry has enabled her to excel in her current role.

Starting as an intern at Grameenphone, Sawda worked her way up to becoming a Systems Engineer in the Radio and Transmission Network Optimization team. She also led an automation project and developed web portals and telegram bots to manage the team's day-to-day work. Her transition to the Financial Services team as an operational analyst and eventually as the Product Manager of the MFS wallet "GPAY" is a testament to her passion for learning and continuous growth.

We are proud to recognise Shabnam Rafat Ummey Sawda as one of the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023 finalists and look forward to witnessing her continued success in the future.

Tasnia Tasnim is one of the six finalists for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Tasnia's perseverance and hard work have led her to become the first female Territory Manager in retail sales in Chattogram city, despite the area's cultural and religious conservatism.

Tasnia's experience working in FMCG sales in Khulna and Chattogram has been a valuable asset to her current role, where she manages over 30 dealers with varying mindsets. Despite the initial challenges of not being accepted by many, Tasnia was able to break the ice by changing her approach and building relationships with her team. Her dedication and focus on team building, constant monitoring of their needs, and her contribution in generating secondary sales earned her the Best Territory Manager award in Chattogram and Best Territory Manager (1st Runner’s Up) award from the Divisional Head.

Tasnia's positive attitude and commitment to her work have not only earned her these awards but also created a more accepting and welcoming atmosphere for future female workers.

We are honored to have Tasnia Tasnim as one of the finalists of the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023 and look forward to seeing her continued success and contributions to the industry.

Zeba Samiha is one of the six finalists for the TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award 2023. Zeba is a Category Demand Planner at Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, where she has been applying her knowledge and experience to contribute to the growth of the company for almost 3 years. Her dedication to her work is reflected in her involvement in creative projects such as organizing programs, creating functional newsletters, and presentations, which not only helps her gain exposure to other teams but also connect with her peers better.

Zeba is passionate about supply chain, a relatively new academic discipline in this part of the world, and has been fortunate to have mentors in the organisation who provide her guidance in this field. Zeba's belief in empathetic leadership and collaboration has led her to create a conducive environment to achieve organizational goals.

We are proud to have Zeba Samiha as one of the finalists and look forward to witnessing all the great things she will accomplish in the future. Congratulations, Zeba Samiha!