Two Bangladeshi students, Shafayat Alam from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Hasan Sheikh from Northern University of Business and Technology (NUBT) Khulna, have won the prestigious Global Undergraduate Award 2024 in the regional category. This global award, under the patronage of the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, has been recognizing outstanding undergraduate work since 2012.
Shafayat Alam, a regional winner in the Architecture and Design category, submitted his final-year project titled “A Synanthropic Corridor.” It explores how humans and wildlife, specifically elephants, can coexist in areas affected by deforestation. His thesis focused on the Balijhuri area in Sherpur, proposing solutions for creating safe spaces for both human settlements and elephant migration routes. Shafayat, also a wildlife photography enthusiast, expressed his passion for environmental conservation and said, “In the future, I hope to work more deeply on wildlife protection.” 
Hasan Sheikh, an English graduate from NUBT Khulna, was awarded in the Linguistics category. His research analyzed how global media, including BBC, Fox News, and Sputnik, portrayed the Russia-Ukraine war. Hasan spent nearly a year collecting and analyzing reports to understand the language strategies and biases these media outlets employed when covering controversial topics. He shared that his success was possible thanks to his supervisor, Md. Obaidullah Sir’s encouragement, and added, “I aspire to become a researcher and contribute to society, especially for underprivileged communities.”
These students have brought pride to Bangladesh with their academic excellence and innovative ideas on wildlife conservation and media studies.
