Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Dhaka girl Nupur takes over as chairman of Unilever for a day

News Desk : dhakamirror.com

Seventeen-year-old Nupur from Dhaka, had the opportunity to take over Unilever’s chairman position for one day on Thursday.

There, she symbolically carried out the roles and responsibilities of Zaved Akhtar, the chairman and managing director of Unilever Bangladesh, said a press release.

Nupur being an active youth club member, works for girls’ rights, gender equality to advocate for girls’ rights, foster change in their community through activism, accountability and resourcing with the aim to associate with the Girl Takeover campaign.

Takeover is a part of the global GirlsTakeover campaign, a signature activity of Plan International. Every year Plan rolls out this activity all over the world, including Bangladesh, marking the International Day of Girl on 11 October, calling for increased investment in girls’ power, activism and leadership. Plan International intends to provide a platform for girls and young women to take over leadership roles and challenge stereotypes around girls and leadership.

Nupur, the chairman for the day, said, “Through this takeover, I want to motivate other girls of my community to come forward and take part in leader roles more often and utilise the experiences to determine their goals in life. Also, it has been an inspirational experience that will assist me to become more motivated and self-dependent in life.”

As part of the chairman’s daily official activities, she also visited the British High Commission where she attended a launching event with the Ambassador and relevant officials. Nupur wishes to work extensively for gender equality and girls’ leadership for women and girls of her community. Currently she pays her own tuition fees by teaching community children. In future, she wants to become a journalist.

Zaved Akhtar said, “I am very happy to show Nupur our activities today. Dove Self Esteem Project works with more young women like Nupur which gives us more confidence and motivation to work.”

This International Day of the Girl 2023, we are united around the theme “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being” – focusing on the three major pillars of the Girls Get Equal campaign – Equal Power, Equal Freedom and Equal Representation. Girls can revolutionise their lives and communities when they are given equal opportunities and equal chances in life.

In 2021, Plan International Bangladesh and Unilever Bangladesh collaborated on the implementation of the Dove Self Esteem Project at Schools (DSEP). Unilever pre-designed the project and Plan International Bangladesh developed the roll- out plan of the Dove Self Esteem curriculum for the first time in Bangladesh specifically in selective schools in Rangpur and Nilphamari districts.

The project’s objective was to enhance capacity of teachers, peer leaders, parents on self-esteem curriculum, peer modules, its delivery and overall improvement of self-esteem, body confidence as an individual with rights, freewill and choice of children especially girls. – Press release

Related News

SSC, equivalent exams start April 21

News Desk : dhakamirror.com This year, the Secondary School Certificate and similar exams will start on April 21 and end on June 14. The Dhaka Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education released the exam schedule on its website on Thursday. The theoretical exams are set for April 21 to May 20, while practical exams will ... Read more

Bangladesh suspends on-arrival visas until February 15

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh has halted the on-arrival visa service for all eligible nations starting today until February 15 to avoid any incidents during the upcoming elections. Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain told reporters at the foreign ministry yesterday, “We’ve been directed to take this action to prevent any incidents during the elections. Unexpected individuals ... Read more

US to suspend issuing immigrant visas for 75 nations, including Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The United States said on Wednesday it was halting the processing of immigrant visas from 75 countries, which included Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and Somalia. It was President Donald Trump’s latest move against foreigners seeking to come to the United States, reports Fox News. The US has halted all visa ... Read more

440 Bangladeshi prisoners receive Royal Pardon in UAE

News Desk : dhakamirror.com On the 54th UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) in 2025, the rulers of the UAE granted royal pardons to 440 Bangladeshi prisoners. During the Union Day celebrations, UAE leaders pardoned thousands of inmates nationwide, marking one of the largest clemency efforts in recent years, according to a press release from ... Read more

Tarique Rahman now BNP chairman

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Acting Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday formally assumed the office of the chairman of the party. The decision was made in an emergency meeting of the BNP standing committee at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office. In line with the BNP constitution, the meeting was held to address the ... Read more

Bangladesh now on US visa bond list, requiring travelers to deposit up to $15,000

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The United States has recently added 25 more countries, including Bangladesh, to a list of nations whose citizens may need to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the country. This information comes from a report by Reuters, which referenced the State Department’s website on Tuesday. Under the updated program, ... Read more

9,111 people killed in road incidents in Bangladesh during 2025: report

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh witnessed higher road crashes and casualties last year compared to previous years, exposing poor road safety, according to a report published yesterday by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF). The country saw more road accidents and casualties in the immediate past year compared with 2024, a Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh ... Read more

Nation observing 3-day state mourning for Khaleda

General holiday for today News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government on Tuesday announced a three-day state mourning from today at the death of former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia. Chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, in an address to the nation, announced the three-day state mourning and declared a one-day general holiday for ... Read more

Tarique Rahman arrives at Evarecare to see ailing mother

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday evening reached Evercare Hospital to meet his ailing mother, Begum Khaleda Zia, former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, at the hospital. Tarique’s motorcade reached Evercare Hospital at about 5:50pm on Wednesday, as he directly came to the hospital after addressing ... Read more

BNP wants to build a safe Bangladesh: Tarique

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Nationalist Party wants to build a safe and secure Bangladesh, its acting chairman Tarique Rahman said on Thursday. Addressing a public reception, he said the party envisions a country that reflects the dreams of a mother. Together, we will build a Bangladesh that every mother dreams of. That is, we ... Read more

Hadi laid to rest beside national poet Kazi Nazrul as thousands bid farewell

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson for the Inqilab Mancha, was laid to rest beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on the DU campus this afternoon (20 December), following his namaz-e-janaza at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad amid tight security and with thousands in attendance. Among those present ... Read more

Hundreds of thousands join Osman Hadi’s janaza as venue exceeds capacity

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Hundreds of thousands of people attended the namaz-e-janaza of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and one of the frontliners of the July uprising, at Manik Mia Avenue this afternoon. The janaza was held after Zuhr prayers amid tight security, with members of law enforcement agencies deployed across Manik Mia ... Read more

Hadi’s body at NICVD: Saturday Janaza announcement

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The body of Sharif Osman Hadi, the convener of the Inquilab Mancha and one of the organisers of the July uprising, has been kept at the mortuary of the National Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases in Dhaka, reported United News of Bangladesh. His namaz-e-janaza will be held on Saturday at 2:00pm ... Read more

Bangladesh July uprising leader Osman Hadi dies

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Gunshot-injured Sharif Osman Hadi, the convener of the Inquilab Mancha and one of the organisers of the July uprising, breathed his last under treatment in Singapore at around 9:30pm Bangladesh time. Inquilab Mancha member-secretary Abdullah Al Jaber confirmed his death to New Age at around 10:15pm. ‘We have come to know ... Read more

National election, referendum set for February 12

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Election Commission announced the schedule this evening for the country’s first-ever twin polls — 13th National Parliamentary Election and the July Charter referendum – to be held on February 12, 2026. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin announced the schedule in a pre-recorded televised address at 6:00pm today. As per ... Read more

BNP announces lineup of party candidates for upcoming elections

News Desk : dhakamirror.com On Monday, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, announced the party’s candidates for 237 constituencies in the upcoming national elections. The spotlight was especially on the nominations of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and her son, Tarique Rahman. Khaleda Zia, who serves as the party’s ... Read more

Design flaws might cause metro rail bearing pad failure: DMTCL

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The recent failure of a metro rail bearing pad wasn’t exactly a sudden incident. According to Faruk Ahmed, the Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), it could stem from various issues related to design, construction, materials, or even consultancy. He emphasized during a press briefing at the DMTCL ... Read more

Jatka catching halted aiming hilsa production boost

News Desk : dhakamirror.com An eight-month countrywide ban on catching, trading, and marketing jatka began today to boost the production of hilsa, the national fish. The ban will remain in force until June 30 next year, according to a press release of Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. During this period, catching, selling, transporting, exchanging, or ... Read more

Unregistered phones to be cut off after Dec 16

News Desk : dhakamirror.com From 16 December this year, all unregistered mobile phones in Bangladesh will automatically be deactivated, said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Major General (retd) Md Emdadul Bari. At a press conference at the commission’s headquarters in the capital today (29 October), he said the government’s new National Equipment Identity Register ... Read more

Bangladesh and KSA sign pact for workers’ rights

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have just inked a labour recruitment agreement, marking the first deal aimed at promoting fair recruitment practices and protecting workers’ rights. Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser, Prof. Asif Nazrul, and the Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Engineer Ahmad Bin Solaiman Al-Rajhi, recently came ... Read more