Two Bangladeshis, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul's daughter Dr Samaruh Mirza, have been nominated for the 2023 Australian of the Year Awards.
Mirza Fakhrul told The Business Standard that he is pleased to hear the news.
A total of 16 people have been nominated for the award in four categories. Both Samaruh Mirza and the other nominee Nazmul Hasan were named under the Local Hero category.
Dr Samaruh Mirza
"Dr Samaruh Mirza is a medical student but she knows that feeling connected and having some to talk to is an important as any medicine for good health," reads a report of The Canberra Times.
Dr Mirza was seeing a lot of women dealing with depression as she did volunteer work among culturally and linguistically diverse groups in Canberra.
Wanting to give women of diverse backgrounds a safe space in which to discuss their challenges and gain confidence, she co-founded SiTara's Story in 2017.
It would be somewhere women could discuss stigmatised topics without fear, form support networks and empower themselves, reads the report.
The volunteer-run not-for-profit now organises workshops, talk shops, seminars and creative competitions that support CALD women to discuss mental health, disability, domestic violence, self-care and skill development. In 2021, the organisation was awarded the ACT Mental Health Month award.
Dr Mirza, 44, was herself a finalist in the Canberra Community Spirits Award 2021.
Nazmul Hasan
When Canberra went into Covid-19 lockdown in August 2021, Nazmul Hasan realised many people would struggle to make ends meet. He decided to offer free food and essential items to those who needed them - no questions asked.
"With only a Facebook page and Google form, Mr Hasan provided thousands of free halal meals, groceries and even whitegoods," reads The Canberra Times report.
Also in 2021, he began helping resettle Afghan refugees. As well as access to essential supplies, Nazmul supports refugees to navigate employment and government services. This work continues through his not-for-profit Rahimoon, which collaborates with the Red Cross.
A passionate voice for unity across the multicultural Muslim and Australian communities, the 40-year-old organises interfaith and multicultural events in addition to his charitable work.
Mr Hasan is a role model in serving community needs. He was honoured with the ACT Outstanding Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion 2022 and was the winner of the ABC Canberra Community Spirits Award 2022.
