ITN-BUET proudly hosted a congratulatory event on Saturday, July 5, 2025, to honor Professor Dr. M. Feroze Ahmed, Founding Director of ITN-BUET, for receiving the prestigious National Environment Award 2024 (Jatio Poribesh Padak 2024) from the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The event was held in the Seminar Room of ITN-BUET.
The National Environment Award is the highest state recognition in Bangladesh for contributions to environmental protection, innovation, and sustainable development. It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Prof. Dr. Rowshan Mamtaz, Director of ITN-BUET, welcomed the attendees and expressed her deep appreciation for Dr. Ahmed’s lifelong contributions. She noted that it was an absolute honor for ITN-BUET to host this event. She emphasized how integral he has been to ITN-BUET’s development and proposed that he consider updating the seminal publication “Water Supply and Sanitation”, assuring that ITN-BUET would provide full support for the initiative.
In the event, Prof. Dr. M. Feroze Ahmed expressed his heartfelt thanks and shared insights from his journey in research, highlighting the motivations and experiences that led him to a lifelong commitment to environmental studies and public service.
Reflecting on his journey in research, he recalled how, from the very beginning of his academic career, he was drawn to exploring problems, finding solutions, and documenting them through research. Regardless of whether it was a project, a study, or teaching, he always felt the urge to publish and share his work with the wider community, a habit that became even more prominent during his tenure as Director of ITN-BUET. He emphasized that at ITN-BUET, he truly understood the importance of not only doing good work but also communicating it effectively to build institutional memory, influence policy, and inspire others.
The event was graced by the presence of Prof. Dr. ABM Badruzzaman, Vice Chancellor of BUET, who congratulated Prof. Dr. M. Feroze Ahmed on this remarkable recognition. He fondly shared memories of his thesis days under Dr. Ahmed’s guidance, highlighting how he helped transform a rough draft into a well-structured thesis and taught him the fundamentals of academic writing and presentation.
Among others, Prof. Dr. Md. Abdul Jalil, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at BUET, and Mr. Eheteshamul Russel Khan, Additional Chief Engineer of DPHE, along with former and current officials of ITN-BUET, graced the cheerful occasion with their presence.
The event served as a meaningful recognition of a visionary academic and leader whose work continues to shape the landscape of water, sanitation, and environmental sustainability in Bangladesh.
