Ms Ireland Maksuda Akhter Prioty tells New Age
Bangladeshi-born expatriate Maksuda Akhter Prioty came to limelight after winning the prestigious beauty pageant title Ms Ireland 2014. A model by passion, a private pilot by profession and a social welfare worker by dedication, Prioty, who has been living in Ireland since 2004 with her two kids, has come to Bangladesh for a short visit to work with Subornogram Foundation. In an interview with New Age, Prioty shared about her present endeavours and future plans.
New Age: To begin with, winning the Ms Ireland 2014 has brought you to limelight in Bangladesh. Was it your first participation in any beauty contest? Would you please share your experience of the beauty pageant?
Prioty: Yes, it was my first participation in any beauty pageant. After that, I have also participated in other contests. It was a great achievement for me and it will help me in future too to achieve my goals.
I have always been interested in modeling and events like beauty pageants. When I came to know about the Ms Ireland contest which requires that you are above 24 and single, I signed up and ultimately came out as the champion among more than 700 contestants.
New Age: Beauty pageants are seen, in our society and in other conservative countries too, from different perspectives; like some would criticise it as a process of objectifying women. What is your take on it?
Prioty: I do not know how to answer the question. For me, modeling and events like the pageants are recreation and hobby. People always have their own ways to come to terms with things.
New Age: You have come to work with Subornogram Foundation this time. What is it that you are doing with the foundation?
Prioty: Subornogram Foundation is a social and cultural organisation which works mainly in three sectors: education for unprivileged children, environment and human rights. My friend poet Shahed Kayes, founder of the organisation, invited me to work with them. Subornogram, I would say, is doing an excellent job. I visited a few of their schools located in remote villages at Sonargaon and Narayanganj where children of different unprivileged communities like the cobblers and fishers are taking lessons. It was really great to sit with them, to listen to their stories, to answer their queries and to encourage them to think big.
New Age: Children of such communities are usually stuck to the visible and invisible cycles and barriers. What is your suggestion to them and how can others help them?
Prioty: My suggestion to them is ‘dream big, as big as you can’. We can do a lot if we only wish. It is not possible for one foundation like Subornogram to reach to every community at every corner of the country. Government, other social welfare organisations and affluent individuals should come forward to help spread the light of education to these unprivileged children.
New Age: Is this your first involvement in social welfare work?
Prioty: In Bangladesh, it is my first. But I am involved in charity works in Ireland, where I participate in fundraising programmes to help people with a condition known as sickle-cell anemia.
New Age: To come to your professional life, you are a private pilot and flying instructor. When did you think to become a pilot?
Prioty: I think being an airbus pilot is very challenging and I have always loved to take on challenges. Initially, there were many who discouraged me to opt for the profession saying it is too dangerous, it is not a girl’s wardrobe. But their discouragement, ironically, made me more determined to become a pilot.
New Age: There are talks about you signing an Irish film. Tell us about the film project. Would you like to become an actress?
Prioty: Irish director Ciran Devies offered me to act in a lead role in his upcoming film The Wonderland, where I will act as a goddess. Shooting for the film has already begun. I will join the team very soon.
I do not know what lies ahead in the filmdom. If I find enough space and challenges, I will continue to act.
New Age: Do you have any plan to act in Bangladeshi films?
-With New Age input
