Farida Yasmin, former UNO of Barhatta upazila of Netrakona, was accorded with the Faraaz Hossain Courage Award-2019 for her outstanding contribution in preventing child marriage.

Ahmed El Sheikh, president of PepsiCo India Region handed over the award to Farida Yasmin at a function held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden hotel in Dhaka this evening.

Alongside the award, Farida Yasmin was also given USD10,000 and a certificate.

Farida Yasmin, now additional district magistrate of Mymensingh, prevented at least 59 child marriage when she was UNO of Barhatta upazila.

Bishwo Shahitto Kendro founder Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed speaks at the award giving ceremony held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hote in Dhaka on Sunday, December 1, 2019. Photo: Palash Khan/Star

A jury board comprising dignitaries of the country selected the winner. Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, member of the jury board and Faraaz’s mother Simeen Hossain were present at the function.

Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain refused to desert his friends and was brutally killed by terrorists during the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan on July 1, 2016.

In recognition of such acts of courage, PepsiCo Global decided to launch the annual Faraaz Hossain Courage Award in 2016 by setting up a fund of $200,000. This will support a $10,000 prize to be awarded annually for the next 20 years.

PepsiCo Global has been giving the award since 2016 to recognise acts of exceptional courage by individuals setting examples of empathy for friends and colleagues.

In an announcement ahead of the award ceremony, PepsiCo Global said Faraaz has set an example by sacrificing his life for friendship and stood against injustice with firm determination. The purpose of giving the award is to encourage the spirit of bravery among the Bangladeshi youth and invoke acts of bravery.

Md Miraz Sarder, who caught one of the attackers of Madaripur college teacher Ripon Chakraborty red-handed, was given the first “Faraaz Hossain Courage Award 2016”.

Khondaker Abu Talha, a Daffodil University student who heroically gave his life trying to save a victim from muggers in Dhaka, was given “Faraaz Hossain Courage Award 2017”.