Md. Shahriar Nazim Shimanta, a Master’s student of the Department of Political Science, University of Dhaka, has been awarded the prestigious Young South Asian Leaders Initiative (YSALI) Fellowship sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

As part of the fellowship, he represented Bangladesh in the exchange program titled“American Excellence, Entrepreneurship and Innovation”held in the United States from May 30 to June 13, 2026. The program was fully funded by the U.S. Department of State. The University of Nebraska at Omaha and the East-West Center supported the implementation of the program.

After returning home Md. Shahriar Nazim Shimanta met with DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. A.B.M. Obaidul Islam today June 18 at his office. The Vice Chancellor congratulated him for this prestigious achievement. Dhaka University family is proud of his accomplishment, he said.

It may be mentioned that a total of 38 young leaders selected from seven South Asian countries- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, participated in the fellowship program. A six-member delegation represented Bangladesh. YSALI, launched in September 2024, is a regional initiative aimed at enhancing leadership capacity, building networks, and empowering youth ages 18 to 30 across South Asia to address shared challenges.

18/06/2026

Md. Rafiqul Islam
Director
Public Relations Office
The University of Dhaka