Tanzil Ferdous

Bangladeshi youth Tanzil Ferdous among 10 others from around the world will be honoured by the US Department of State as outstanding young leaders on May 2.

The 10 recipients of the third annual "Emerging Young Leaders Award" will be acknowledged in a public ceremony at the State Department for their efforts as partners for peace and drivers of economic growth, reads a press release issued by the US Department of State on April 5.

The 2018 awardees are Sara Abdullah Abdulrahman, Iraq; Diovio Alfath, Indonesia; Ece Ciftci, Turkey; Tanzil Ferdous, Bangladesh; Zina Salim Hassan Hamu, Lithuania; Dania Hassan, Pakistan; Nancy Herz, Norway; Isasiphinkosi Mdingi, South Africa; Jose Rodriguez, Panama; and Firuz Yogbekov, Tajikistan.

The award is given in recognition of the positive role young people play in building sustainable peace, according to the US Department of State.

Aged 24, Tanzil actively works towards youth and community development and women's rights in Bangladesh, while simultaneously challenging traditional gender norms in the country.

As the President of Volunteer for Bangladesh, Chittagong in 2015 -- the largest platform for youth volunteerism in Bangladesh -- Tanzil organised numerous successful events for community development, engaging hundreds of youth in volunteerism.

Currently, Tanzil is working with the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, to help them not become victims of extreme violence. Her work has helped support a safe space for 500 refugee children with the Jaago Foundation in the Rohingya camps.