Mission Save Bangladesh: The power of passion, people and partnerships

A month of relentless efforts have turned out to be efficacious, as Mission Save Bangladesh has completed a milestone of collecting funds amounting to more than Tk 1 crore . Moreover, more than a hundred brands have come on board the initiative so far .

Perhaps with these numbers reflecting the achievements, the journey of Mission Save Bangladesh so far can be highlighted but these are not just numbers as the story behind these numbers has never been easier.

"One month" does not refer to a significant measure of time. A dream to save Bangladesh from a difficult time we have been in over the last month, is a reflection of the realisation of that dream. Thanks to the tireless work of everyone involved with this initiative, Mission Save Bangladesh has been able to help more than five thousand families and more than twenty thousand people.

"One crore taka" does not just mean some amount of money. This "one crore" is evidence that the sense of humanity is still alive in the world.

"One hundred" alone does not indicate the number of partners of Mission Save Bangladesh. This "one hundred" is a reflection of the fact that the impossible can be achieved if everyone stands with each other during times of crisis.

The combined efforts of the young team is notable. By maintaining social distance and hygiene, they ensured that more than 5,000 families are served with food for 10 days. For Ramadan, they ensured that more than 200 families get necessary iftar and sehri items. Hundreds of public places were disinfected and hand-washing basins were set up in several places. By constantly managing queries through social media, the team ensured that the support reaches to the ones in need. Furthermore, the passionate people who reached out silently to Mission Save Bangladesh and informed about the ones who are really suffering in these tough times deserve a shout-out. Lastly, the partners made this initiative even stronger. The accumulation of empathy, hard work and passion is what led the Mission Save Bangladesh initiative this far.

Mission Save Bangladesh -- a joint initiate of The Daily Star, Samakal and Sheba.xyz -- is grateful to all donors, the Shakib Al Hasan Foundation, partners, volunteers, and everyone who helped us achieve this milestone. PFDA, Mirpur DOHS Parishad, IPDC Finance, Dano, Guardian Life Lithosphere, The Chartered  Institute of Logistics and Transport, Club Notredamians, Fantamiam, Apon, Shahajjo Foundation, Salma Adil Foundation, Asif Fashion Industries, Epilogue, Wander Woman. 1% Foundation M/S Ashim Enterprise, Pathao, Dabur, Torun, DevoTech, Daktarbhai, Windmill Advertising Ltd., Roar Bangla, CNI, SHASHA denims, Olympic, MASTHEAD PR, JCI Dhaka South, United, High Voltage Ltd., sManager, Arrowlink Soft., Aqua Paints, Tulans Bio Academy, BCSA Bangladesh, WebAble, Himalaya, PENSTON, TRY Foundation, Dhaka Translation, Unimart, JCI Dhaka North, Omicon Group, Juststorys, Charity Right, VROOM, Robi 10 Minute School, Chologhuri, C Three Sixty, Sailor, Mentors, Summit Communications Ltd, EY, ShopUp, IUT Alumni Association, Daraz, HungryNaki, Gulshan Society, Safe Hands, Ecourier, Angel chef, Smartifier, Truck Kothay, Mumtaz, Nonda-dulal, Lightcastle Partners, Sbusiness.xyz, NRB connect, Step, Market Express, Spark It, Shwapno, SSL Commerz, Kormo, ADA Nijer Bolar Moto Ekta Golpo, Eduhive, Lecture Publications Limited, Spikestory, Paperfly, Bongo, Adon, Pop of color, Earthmoving Solution Limited, Horlicks, Techno Drugs limited, Grow n Excel, Renata Limited, Mastul Foundation, BYLC, Bangladesh MBA Association, Farmers market, Unifox, Grameenphone Employees Union, Guardian Life Insurance Ltd -- these are the brands who stepped forward to support the initiative.

The responsibilities are not over. Instead, now it's a bigger challenge to bring smiles to more faces.

The writer is Head of Marketing at The Daily Star and a US State Department Alumnus.