Runa Khan wins 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award for humanitarian work
Bangladesh non-governmental organization Friendship founder and executive director Runa Khan has received the prestigious 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award. The official announcement was made by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation in Manila, Philippines.
Runa Khan, the founder and executive director of the Bangladeshi non-governmental organization Friendship, has officially been named as a recipient of the esteemed 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award. The announcement regarding this international recognition was made on August 31, 2026, by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation based in the Philippine capital of Manila.
Following the formal announcement in Manila, the organizers have confirmed that the official presentation ceremony for all the honored laureates will take place on November 15, 2026, in Manila. Runa Khan will be formally presented with the prestigious accolade during this upcoming event in the Philippines.
In response to receiving the international honor, Runa Khan stated that she is accepting the Ramon Magsaysay Award with deep joy and humility. She also emphasized that this significant recognition simultaneously represents a great responsibility for her ongoing humanitarian and organizational endeavors.
Runa Khan joins a distinguished group of previous recipients from Bangladesh, bringing the total number of individuals and organizations from the country to have received this honor to 14. Notable past Bangladeshi laureates include Tahrun Nessa Abdullah, Fazle Hasan Abed, Muhammad Yunus, Zafrullah Chowdhury, Richard William Timm, Mohammad Yasin, Angela Gomes, Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Matiur Rahman, A H M Noman Khan, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Firdausi Qadri, and Korvi Rakshand.
Alongside Runa Khan, other notable international figures have also been selected for the 2026 edition of the award. The recipients for this year include Tommy Koh from Singapore and Bo Kyi from Myanmar, who were recognized alongside the Bangladeshi founder by the Manila-based foundation.
