The Alhaj Belayet Hossain Scholarship Award Ceremony began on a bright autumn morning with the distribution of saplings among more than a hundred students. The event was held on October 24 at the auditorium of the Kushtia District Shilpakala Academy, in the presence of students’ guardians, teachers, and distinguished guests.
At the ceremony, 100 selected students from various educational institutions across the district, who achieved GPA 5.00 (A+) in the 2024 and 2025 SSC and equivalent examinations, each received a scholarship of BDT 20,000, amounting to a total of BDT 2 million. The scholarship programme is sponsored by Western Engineering Group and managed by Shopnoshilon Career Care.
The event was chaired by Mr. Bashir Ahmed, Managing Director of Western Engineering Group. Professor A.N.M. Meshkat Uddin, distinguished educationist and Vice-Chancellor of Primeasia University, attended as the Chief Guest.
Special guests included Abu Tayeb Yunus Ali, Kushtia District Education Officer; Faisal Mahmud, Additional Superintendent of Police; Md. Abdul Latif Sheikh, Deputy Director of the District Social Services Office; Md. Helaluzzaman, Deputy Director of the Islamic Foundation, Kushtia; Bipasha Yasmeen, Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Teachers’ Association and a music artist; and Nargis Ahmed, Chairman of Western Group.
The speakers expressed their gratitude to Western Engineering Group for undertaking this noble initiative to support students. They expressed hope that such educational assistance programmes, through collective efforts, would accelerate the development of education in Kushtia and the surrounding region, helping nurture a generation of educated, skilled, and socially responsible individuals with strong human values.
Addressing the students, the speakers encouraged them to make the best use of this support to develop themselves into competent and responsible citizens. They emphasised that students should go beyond academic studies and actively participate in extracurricular activities, social initiatives, and cultural programmes to develop their diverse talents and abilities.
In his address as Chair, Mr. Bashir Ahmed, Managing Director of Western Engineering Group and an industrial entrepreneur, said:
“We launched the Alhaj Belayet Hossain Scholarship seven years ago on behalf of Western Engineering Group to ensure that financial constraints do not stand in the way of higher education and that meritorious students can secure places at the country’s leading educational institutions based on their abilities. It is gratifying to learn that many of our scholarship recipients are now studying at renowned institutions across the country in fields such as medicine, engineering, and agriculture. We are proud to have been able to support them, even in a small way, in pursuing their dreams of higher education.”
The programme was hosted by Hafiz Al Asad, Executive Director of Shopnoshilon. The welcome address was delivered by Nazmul Huda, writer, organiser, and Joint Director of Bangladesh Bank. The vote of thanks was delivered by Md. Amirul Islam, Convener of the scholarship programme and a national sports organiser.
During the event, the participants also emphasised the importance of making the scholarship programme more accessible, technology-friendly, and effective for the welfare of students. They noted that integrating technology-driven management, monitoring students’ academic progress, and providing guidance on higher education and career development could further expand the positive impact of this initiative.