40 Bangladeshis complete US Embassy’s English Access Microscholarship Programme

Some 40 Bangladeshi students have successfully completed the US Embassy's English Access Microscholarship Programme, funded by US State Department.  

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller has congratulated the new graduates during a virtual ceremony on Thursday, said a press release. 

On the ceremony, Ambassador Miller praised the 20 young women and 20 young men for their hard work in completing the course during the pandemic and encouraged them to continue their studies to prepare for the future. 

"As Bangladesh approaches the 50th anniversary of its independence, there's no better time to recognize the power of young minds – like yours – to solve problems and shape the future of our increasingly interconnected world," said the ambassador. 

The English Access Microscholarship Programme is a two-year interactive program that builds a foundation of English language, American culture, and leadership skills for 13-20-year-olds from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It helps them to become more competitive for higher education and employment opportunities.  

Since the programme began in 2004, more than 1,200 Bangladeshi students have successfully completed it. The graduating class joins 95,000 other Access program alumni in more than 85 countries around the world.  

This graduate cohort is the first group of students in South Asia to attend Access classes online – transitioning from in-person to online learning following the Covid-19 outbreak last year.