Two Bangladeshi scientists get Cuban state award

Two medical scientists of Bangladesh have been awarded national medals in Cuba for their outstanding contribution to scientific research.

Eduardo Martínez Diaz, minister of Science, Technology and Environment, on behalf of the country's president, handed over the medals to them in a lavish ceremony held in the country's Varadero city on Monday (April 1).

“Carlos J Finlay Order” is Cuba's highest national medal for scientific research.

The recipients of the medal are Dr Mamun Al Mahtab Swapnil, Professor of Interventional Hepatology Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, and Sheikh Mohammad Fazle Akbar, Visiting Researcher of Research Center for Global and Local Infectious Diseases of Auta University in Japan.

Professor Dr Swapneel said, “Maintaining the dual identity of physician and medical scientist is especially challenging in this country. I am grateful to the Government of Cuba for this kind of recognition because it encourages us to forget all the costs and move forward.”

In 2019, the Cuban Academy of Sciences awarded Prof Dr Sapneel and Dr Akbar with Cuban and Japanese co-researchers the highest medal of the Academy of Sciences “Premio National” for the development of a new drug for hepatitis B called “Nasvac”.

Apart from this, Professor Dr Swapneel was awarded the highest award of the Bangladesh Academy of Scientists “Bass Gold Medal Award” in 2021.

Professor Dr Swapneel is also researching stem cells and herbal medicine in the treatment of fatty liver, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.