FE REPORT
Bangladeshi architect Mohammed Rezwan has been awarded 'Yale World Fellowship 2025' for his outstanding contribution to inventing floating school.
Mr Rezwan is one of the 16 world leaders who received the fellowship this year for their vital role in areas like environment, technology, politics, media, arts, human rights, international development and justice sectors globally.
The fellows' names have been published recently. Mr Rezwan has extraordinarily dedicated himself to invent floating schools, reads a press statement.
Mr Rezwan himself grew up in a remote area within Chalanbeel where schooling disrupts due to flooding every year. People's earnings as well as supply of fundamental needs face setback.
"But he didn't limited himself reckoning the issue merely as a crisis, rather he looked for a way of solution to the problem," according to the statement.
Mr Rezwan implemented the idea of boat school in 2002 through a non-profit organisation called 'Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha', which he founded and now leads as executive director.
Such solar-powered boat schools help ensure academic activities of the students during flood every year.
This initiative has been expanded to different infrastructures including libraries, healthcare centres, training centers, green spaces, and floating agricultural farms.
Bangladesh government has included the idea of boat school in the National Adaptation Plan of Bangladesh (2023-2050). This innovative model has been successfully replicated in eight countries in Asia and Africa so far.
As a world fellow, Mr Rezwan will deliver lecture and advise Yale University students during fall semester (August-December), participate in discussions on global climate change and education development, conduct research, and highlight the Bangladeshi experience at a global level.
"This recognition is dedicated for the brave people of Bangladesh who have constantly inspired us. We have been able to prove that novel solutions can come from anywhere in the world through the inspiration we have received from the people," he was quoted as saying.
The floating school concept has been recognised as an innovation by various United Nations agencies.
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