Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association's (BELA) Chief Executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan has won the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award 2012 for her campaign for environment justice.
"She is being recognized for her uncompromising courage and impassioned leadership in a campaign of judicial activism in Bangladesh that affirms the people's right to a good environment as nothing less than their right to dignity and life," the Board of Trustees of the Ramon
Magsaysay Award Foundation announced on its official website.
In her instant reaction, Rizwana told bdnews24.com that the prize would increase her 'responsibility' towards the nation.
"To me, it's not my personal achievement," she said, "It's an achievement of all who work for the cause of environment."
"I'll receive the award on behalf of all," she said, "I am very glad."
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus had earlier also won the accolade.
Six individuals from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan will receive the prize, Asia's highest honour and widely regarded as the region's equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
The six 2012 Magsaysay awardees join 290 other laureates who have received Asia's highest honour to date.
They will be formally conferred upon the Magsaysay Award at a presentation ceremony to be held on Aug 31 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
Established in 1957, it celebrates the memory and leadership example of the third Philippine President, and is given every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who exhibit the same sense of selfless service that ruled the life of the late Filipino leader.
For her contribution to environmental campaign, Rizwana earlier won Environment Award of the Ministry of Environment and Forest in 2007 and international Goldman Award in 2009.
US-based Time magazine in 2009 branded her an 'Environmental Hero'.
Born in 1968, Rizwana obtained her law degree from Dhaka University and joined BELA in 1993.Link
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