We are thrilled to share that on October 7th, 2024, Ruhi Loren Akhtar, founder and CEO of Refugee Biriyani & Bananas (RBB), was honoured with the prestigious Bangladeshi Person of the Year award at the North East Bangladeshi Awards (NEBA). Ruhi received this recognition for her outstanding work as an “Inspirational humanitarian champion and refugee rights campaigner.”

Ruhi’s humanitarian work took priority, and while she couldn’t attend the ceremony in person—busy leading an aid distribution on the Greek island of Chios—her parents Monowara and Kaptan stepped in to attend and represent her. Her father, Kaptan, proudly accepted the award on her behalf. Despite some technical hiccups that made a smooth video connection challenging, in true RBB spirit, Ruhi managed to join via video call, sharing her gratitude and appreciation.

The award was presented by the previous year’s winner, Saj Haque, world champion for mixed martial arts, and the event was hosted by the charismatic Jeff Brown, an award-winning TV presenter, alongside Henna Ahmed and NEBA’S Director, M Chowdhury Rabby. 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to NEBA for this recognition of Ruhi’s work and the mission of Refugee Biriyani & Bananas. A special thank you goes to our ambassador and long-term supporter, Habib Rahman, for the nomination that made this all possible.

Together, we continue striving for change, inspired by the unwavering support of our community and the vision that drives RBB forward.