Syeda Rizwana Hasan | |
|---|---|
সৈয়দা রিজওয়ানা হাসান | |
 Rizwana Hasan in 2025 | |
| Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change | |
| Assumed office 9 August 2024 | |
| President | Mohammed Shahabuddin |
| Chief Adviser | Muhammad Yunus |
| Preceded by | Saber Hossain Chowdhury |
| Adviser for Water Resources | |
| Assumed office 16 August 2024 | |
| President | Mohammed Shahabuddin |
| Chief Adviser | Muhammad Yunus |
| Preceded by | Zaheed Farooque |
| Adviser for Information and Broadcasting | |
| Assumed office 11 December 2025 | |
| President | Mohammed Shahabuddin |
| Chief Adviser | Muhammad Yunus |
| Preceded by | Mahfuj Alam |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1968-01-15)15 January 1968 (age 58) |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Spouse | AB Siddique[1] |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent |
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| Alma mater | University of Dhaka |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Known for | Contributions inshipbreaking industry Chief Executive of theBELA |
| Awards |
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Syeda Rizwana Hasan (born 15 January 1968) is a Bangladeshi lawyer and environmentalist. She is currently an adviser to theinterim government ofBangladesh and asadviser of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,Water Resources andInformation and Broadcasting.[2] As an environmentalist, her work is focused on regulations for theshipbreaking industry in Bangladesh, and was awarded theGoldman Environmental Prize in 2009.[3] She was also awarded theRamon Magsaysay Award in 2012 for her "uncompromising courage and impassioned leadership in a campaign of judicial activism in Bangladesh that affirms the people's right to a good environment as nothing less than their right to dignity and life."[4]
Syeda Rizwana Hasan was born on 15 January 1968, into aBengali MuslimZamindar family calledNarapati Haveli inHabiganj District,East Pakistan. She studied inViqarunnisa Noon School and College for her secondary education andHoly Cross College for her higher secondary education, before attending theUniversity of Dhaka for her bachelor's and master's degree in law.[5]
Hasan got involved in theshipbreaking industry, first suing the breaking yards inChittagong in 2003 for, among other reasons, bringing health hazards to the workers, poor working conditions, and improper waste disposal. In response, in March 2003 the court declared shipbreaking without an environmental clearance from the appropriate department illegal.[5] Hasan continues to strive for more labour rights and a safer working environment in the industry.[6] She has also successfully sued organizations involved in filling lakes to build real estate, the improper use ofpolythene, hill cutting,deforestation, shrimp farming, and building illegal establishments onSt. Martin's Island.[5]
Under Hasan's leadership, BELA won theGlobal 500 Roll of Honor in 2003 by the United Nations Environment Program.[7] She herself won:[5][7][8]
She has also been dubbed as aHero of Environment by the American news magazineTIME.[5][6][9]
In 2022, Hasan received theInternational Women of Courage Award from theUnited States Department of State.[10]
Hasan was born inHabiganj to the parentsSyed Mahibul Hasan and Suraiya Hasan.[5] She married her classmate lawyer-entrepreneur Abu Bakar Siddique, and has a daughter, Nehla Siddique and two sons, Ahmed Zarir Siddique and Ahmed Zeedan Siddique.[8] In April 2014, her husband Siddique, managing director of a garment factory owned byNasrul Hamid Bipu, was briefly abducted by unknown individuals.[11][12]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Syeda Rizwana Hasan, from Bangladesh, is being recognized for 'her uncompromising courage and impassioned leadership in a campaign of judicial activism in Bangladesh that affirms the people's right to a good environment as nothing less than their right to dignity and life.'
Media related toRizwana Hasan at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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