My MARS mantra invites Rafia Safa, to celebrate the achievement of July Revolution 2024 in Bangladesh and helps us to understand how people are responding the devastating floods at local level. Rafia is a writer and a business graduate from Chittagong University. Rafia was inspired by her mother’s unfulfilled dreams, to be a liberated writer, and be free like a bird and help others to achieve their dreams.

Producer: Zahid Sumon,

Music: ⁠এসেইস-Aseis⁠

আমার মঙ্গল মন্ত্রের এই পর্বে আমরা রাফিয়া সাফা, একজন সোচ্চার নতুন প্রজন্মের তরুণীর সাহসের গল্প শুনবো। রাফিয়া সবসময় তার দেশের মানুষের অধিকার নিয়ে সোচ্চার থাকতে চায়, হতে চায় এক সহনশীল মায়ের কোল থেকে উঠে আসা সেই মেয়েটি যার আছে অসীম সাহস। এই সাহস বুকে নিয়ে সে লিখে যাবে ও কথা বলে যাবে অবিরত। আসুন আমরা রাফিয়ার কাছ থেকে, বাংলাদেশে ঘটে যাওয়া ২০২৪ এর জুলাই বিপ্লব বা আন্দোলনের এবং পরবর্তীতে বন্যা মোকাবিলার গল্প শুনি!

Listen to Samira Haider's unique journey transitioning from the corporate world to the humanitarian sector. She discusses the challenges and rewards of leaving successful careers in the private sector to make a meaningful impact through humanitarian and development work. Shamira's insights offer valuable lessons on navigating career shifts, finding purpose, and contributing to global development efforts.

Shamira grew up in Bangladesh during the independence war, witnessing her neighbour Rumi sacrificing his life for the country, and her dad, volunteering for the Red Cross. She was trained as an architect in Bangladesh and now works in the humanitarian sector worldwide. Shamira also warns us to be more prepared for future disasters like the earthquake, that will be impacting us too. Shamira calls us all to join force from all sectors to make a difference to this world by being brave and bold.

Producer: Zahid Sumon

Launch and promotion: Tasnim Latif and Rafia Safa Shayama

Music: এসেইস-Aseis

Bijay Kumar is a strong advocate of shifting power from the international system to community-led capacities.
Bijay is from Odisha, one of the mineral rich as well as the most disaster-prone regions in India. From his younger years, Bijay was exposed to social inequalities and discrimination. During his childhood, Bijay used to join his civil servant father, vising the tribal communities exploited by the mining industries. After the end of his higher studies in the UK, Bijay was fortunate to receive a sponsorship to visit 14 African countries in 6 years. This experience strengthened his faith in humanity and the power of local wisdom. Bijay’s foundation work in humanitarianism started during the Odisha Super Cyclone 1999. Since then, Bijay has been leading and managing civil society organisations and networks across Africa, Europe, South Asia & Southeast Asia