Asia’s top award honors Bangladesh’s Runa Khan for empowering climate-vulnerable communities
DHAKA: Bangladeshi social entrepreneur Runa Khan was named a recipient of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award on Monday, in recognition of her work in improving the lives of marginalized and climate-vulnerable communities.
The founder of the grassroots development organization Friendship, Khan has for over two decades led projects broadening access to health, education, and climate adaptation for people living on the shifting river islands, known as chars, in Bangladesh’s north and in coastal areas around the Bay of Bengal.
Friendship began operations in 2002 with a hospital ship and has since expanded its work. It now operates seven hospital vessels — five of which were funded by the Islamic Development Bank.
It has also built infrastructure adapted to floods and river erosion, including water plants in coastal areas affected by salinity, cyclone shelters and solar-powered relocatable schools, which can be moved when flooding destroys settlements. It also runs community-managed mangrove plantations to prevent coastal erosion and support livelihoods.
