The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

After Nora Ali, another most talented Bangladeshi girl become 'Miss Asia.'

Nazia Khan was earlier crowned as 'Miss Bangladesh,' in a local peageant competition at Wichita University at Kansas in the United States early this year. She has again proved that Bangladeshis in the USA are not behind at all.

The 21-year-old Nazia Khan was crowned 'Miss Asia' with the highest scores in all six criteria in front of 6,000 audience on October 27 last. The final eight contestants were judged on poise, how they answered a variety of questions, and on their personal talent.

The name of the event was 'Asian Festival', the largest in the USA with more than 10,000 attendees every year. The 'Miss Asia' pageant is held in conjunction with the 27th annual Asian Festival, which featured foods, artwork, crafts and demonstrations of martial arts and dance from throughout Asia including Japan, China, Korea, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Taiwan, Philippines, and all the Middle Eastern countries.

The most amazing thing was all the other 8 contestants (final) were born and raised in the USA with an advantage of language, whereas, Miss Bangladesh is a foreign student from Bangladesh who has been in the USA only for three years attending Wichita State University, in Wichita, Kansas.

Despite the disadvantages, Nazia scored highest in all six sections, including the question-answer section. Nazia impressed the crowd and judges in attendance at Century II Convention Hall in front of 6,000 audience with her performance of the traditional "Bengali Kathak' dance, an intricate classical dance-form from Bangladesh. The next day she was big news on 'The Wichita Eagle' the main newspaper in Kansas as well as local television networks.

Nazia Khan competed October 27 night with other contestants from Wichita's Asian community. Others were: Theresa Meas, representing Cambodia; Li Qiao (Cindy) Huang, China; Priyanka Bhakta, India; Grace Cha, Korea; Dara Ounaphom, Laos; Primchanok Vongjumnong, Thailand; and Barbara Nguyen, Vietnam. Contestants were judged on poise, how they answered a variety of questions, and talent.

Nazia Khan was born and raised in Doha, Qatar where both of her parents reside. Her father Mr. Nazir, an electrical engineer, works for the Qatar government at 'Qatar Electricity,' and has been working there for 24 years. Despite his daughter being born and raised in Qatar, he made sure that his daughter is raised as a traditional Bengali girl and he succeeded.

Also a brilliant student, Nazia Khan passed her SSC and HSC both with GPA 5.0 fom Doha, Qatar under the Bangladesh school system. In September 2004 she was granted a US F1 Visa for Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Since then she has been attending the university and is a common face in the Wichita Asian and Bangladeshi community. She is heavily involved in community work and instructs traditional dance to local Bangladeshi kids. She is the current acting Cultural Secretary for 'Bangladesh Students Association' at Wichita State University.