Luna Shamsuddoha (4 October 1953 – 17 February 2021) was a Bangladeshi entrepreneur. She was the chairman of the software firm Dohatec New Media, in Dhaka Bangladesh, which she founded in 1992. She was the first woman to head any state-owned bank in Bangladesh.[1] She was the chairman of state-owned Janata Bank Limited. She was also founder and president of Bangladesh Women in Technology (BWIT).[2] She received the Bangladesh Business Award (2017) for her contribution to the country's economy and was honored with Anannya Top Ten Awards for her work in the local software industry as a woman entrepreneur.[3][4]
Luna Shamsuddoha | |
|---|---|
লুনা সামসুদ্দোহা | |
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| Born | 4 October 1953 |
| Died | 16 February 2021 (aged 67) Singapore |
| Education | Masters in International Relations |
| Alma mater | University of Dhaka |
| Occupation(s) | IT Etrepreneur, business leader |
| Organization | Bangladesh Women in IT (BWIT) |
| Title | Chairman of Dohatec New Media and Janata Bank Limited |
| Board member of | Independent University Bangladesh, Janata Bank Limited, SME Foundation |
| Spouse | A K M Shamsuddoha |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Bangladesh Business Award (2017), Outstanding Woman in Business (2017), Anannya Top Ten Awards (2013) |
She was a board member of SME Foundation, Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), director of state-owned Agrani Bank Limited and Janata Bank Limited. She was featured on global forums on technology, e-Governance and women's economic participation and empowerment.[5] Luna was a member of Council of Global Thought Leaders on Inclusive Growth, Switzerland.[6][7] She joined as chairman of the state-owned Janata Bank Limited.
Early life and education
editShamsuddoha was born to Lutfar Rahman and Hasina Rahman on 4 October in Dhaka. She got her Secondary School Certificate (SSC) from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) from Holy Cross College.[8] She had a master's degree in international relations from University of Dhaka.[9]
Career
editShe began her career as a consultant in 1978 but she started the business in 1985 as the managing partner of The Executive Center. Prior to that, she functioned as an English language teacher at British Council Language Resource Center and as a lecturer, English language, Institute of Modern Languages, University of Dhaka.[citation needed]
She worked for Dohatec since 1992.[citation needed] Her company is an independent software vendor and system integrator. Dohatec provides software solutions to institutions, government agencies and corporations in North America, Europe, and Bangladesh.[10] Dohatec's key clients are the World Bank, World Health Organization, US Postal Service, Government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Army. The company is a Certifying Authority and issues Digital Certificates including identification certificates and SSL Certificates.[citation needed]
Shamsuddoha was a panelist in two sessions of the UN 59th Commission on the Status of Women and Moderator of UN Online Discussion, UN Women. She participated in UN ITC Trailblazers Summit: Transformations in Sourcing from Women, in São Paulo, Brazil 2015 – a call for the inclusion of women in public procurement.[citation needed]
Personal life
editShe was married to A. K. M. Shamsuddoha, a businessman. The couple had a daughter.[11]
Awards
edit- Bangladesh Business Award, 2017
- Outstanding Woman in Business, 2017 [12]
- Honorary Special Recognition Award by Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GWIIN), 2013 [13]
- Anannya Top Ten Awards (2013)
Death
editShe died while undergoing cancer treatment at a Singapore hospital on February 17, 2021, aged 67.[14][15][16]
References
edit- ^ "Luna Shamsuddoha joins state-owned Janata Bank as first ever female chairman". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ "BWIT". bwit-bd.com.
- ^ "Luna gets 'Bangladesh Business Award'". Daily Sun. 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Luna Shamsuddoha receives Bangladesh Business Award 2017". banglanews24.com.
- ^ "Spotlight on Women in Business: An Interview with Dohatec's Luna Shamsuddoha".
- ^ "BRAC - Luna Shamsuddoha". brac.manthanaward.org.
- ^ Sinha, Tasnuba (10 May 2015). "Innovative Women Entrepreneur: Luna Shamsuddoha". Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "First stated owned bank women chairman of Bangladesh". Janata Bank Limited bulletin (in Bengali). No. 5th year, 1st issue. Dhaka: Janata Bank Limited. p. 3.
- ^ Wahed, Maruf &. "Janata Bank Board of Directors". jb.com.bd. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "Local software firms need public patrons to tap into potentials". Dhaka Tribune.
- ^ লুনা শামসুদ্দোহা: দেশের প্রথম রাষ্ট্রায়ত্ত ব্যাংকের নারী চেয়ারম্যান [Luna Shamsuddoha: The chairman of the country's first state-owned bank]. Ei Samay (in Bengali). Vol. 5, no. 8. 4 March 2018. p. 15.
- ^ "Luna becomes 1st ever woman chairman of state-owned bank". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ "Luna Shamsuddoha presented with the GWIIN Honorary Award in Sweden". The Daily Star. 11 December 2013.
- ^ "Software entrepreneur Luna Shamsuddoha passes away". The Daily Star. 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
- ^ "Luna Shamsuddoha no more". Dhaka Tribune. 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
- ^ "Luna Shamsuddoha, a tech entrepreneur, dies". bdnews24.com. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
External links
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