Feroza Begum gets Meril Splash-Persona Legendary Award

Dhaka University fine arts student Nuzhat Sawm, American International University Bangladesh BBA student Irin Amir and private service holder Saima Sultana became the top three Splash Girls, bagging the ‘Meril Splash-Persona: Inspiring Freshness Award while eminent Nazrul sangeet singer Feroza Begum was honoured with Meril Splash-Persona Legendary Award this year.

The announcement came at the gala round of beauty hunt styled ‘Meril Splash-Persona: Inspiring Freshness’ at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel’s Winter Garden ballroom Tuesday evening, jointly organised by Square Toiletries Limited and Persona. According to organisers, as freshness is considered to be the core essence of a woman’s beauty, the initiative has been taken to uphold the spirit of freshness through the programme.

The three awardees will be given prize money of Tk 1 lakh each, organisers said. Square Group chairman Samson H Chowdhury, Square Toiletries Limited managing director Anjan Chowdhury and Persona managing director Kaniz Almas Khan spoke at the programme which was anchored by Mishu Rahman.

Eminent artist Qayyum Chowdhury, psychologist Shaheen Islam, noted singer Fahmida Nabi and fashion designer Shahrukh Shahid, who conducted various events during the grooming sessions, were, among others, present in the gala event.

The programme began with the screening of video clips featuring world-famous and country’s eminent personalities like American boxer Laila Ali, Mother Teresa, Nazrul sangeet singer Feroza Begum, noted writer Jahanara Imam, political figure Aung San Suu Kyi, athlete Sabrina Sultana and so on.

The top 25 participants of the contest came on stage in groups in different attires and played the roles of different professions like those of doctors, photographers, advocates, pilots, air-hostages and housewives, highlighting freshness.

Then the participants played roles in another session called fairy tale. But the audiences were taken by surprise when the contestants appeared on stage in colourful saris designed by Abdul Halim Mithu and Rafiqul Alam Mintu. Catwalks by competing young women in colourful attires along with background music and light gave the auditorium a bit more of brilliance.

Regarding the initiative Kaniz Almas Khan said freshness was an important element for a woman as it played a crucial role throughout a woman’s life.

Appreciating the girls Anjan Chowdhury said, ‘Bangladeshi girls are fresh and self-confident.’

He also said that their purpose was not only to find out good-looking girls but also to bring out girls who possessed beautiful minds alongside good appearances.’
On request Feroza Begum rendered a part of a popular Nazrul song ‘Chamke chamke’ on the occasion while Fuad and friends performed two songs ‘Nandini’ and ‘Nitol Paye rinik jhnik’ in the programme.

The organisers said the contest had seen the participation of a total of 25 contestants who took part in a number of events including make-over, debate and story writing competition and psychological test during different sessions of the five-month programme.