Sumaiya Shimu

Shimu was born on 30 April 1980 in Narail, and completed her early education in Khulna and Dhaka.{{cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=226672 |title=Leading Lady |date=March 18, 2012 |newspaper=The Daily Star}} She earned a Bachelor of Social Science and a Master of Social Science in Government and Politics from Jahangirnagar University.{{cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=193265 |title=Sumaiya Shimu at DS Café |date=July 8, 2011 |access-date=August 28, 2015 |newspaper=The Daily Star |author=Shah Alam Shazu}} In 2017, she completed her PhD from the same university, with her research focusing on "The Artistic and Socio-Economic Perspective of Women in Acting" in the Department of Drama and Dramatics.{{Cite news |url=http://thedailynewnation.com/news/125633/sumaiya-shimu-after-a-break.html |title=Sumaiya Shimu after a break |work=The New Nation |language=en |access-date=2019-05-10}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/showbiz/cover-story/actress-sumaiya-shimu-fightfor-better-future-1738447 |title=Fight for a better future |date=2019-05-04 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |access-date=2019-05-10}}{{Cite news |last=Pritom |first=Nusrat Jahan |date=2015-09-07 |title=Sumaiya Shimu Starts A New Journey |language=en |url=https://www.daily-sun.com/magazine/details/73480/Sumaiya-Shimu-Starts-A-New-Journey |access-date=2023-09-17 |newspaper=Daily Sun}}{{Cite news |date=2017-09-28 |title=Sumaiya Shimu as goodwill ambassador |work=The New Nation |language=en |url=http://thedailynewnation.com/news/149126/Sumaiya-Shimu-as-goodwill-ambassador |access-date=2023-09-28 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230928152353/https://thedailynewnation.com/news/149126/Sumaiya-Shimu-as-goodwill-ambassador |archive-date=2023-09-28}}

Shimu made her television debut in 1999 with the drama Ekhane Ator Paoa Jai.{{Cite news |date=2014-04-04 |title=1 MINUTE PLEASE! |work=The Daily Star |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/1-minute-please-18421 |access-date=2015-04-28}} She gained widespread recognition in 2008 for her performance in the drama Shopno Chura, which garnered significant audience attention.{{Cite news |date=2011-06-19 |script-title=bn:বহুরূপী সুমাইয়া শিমু |url=https://www.banglanews24.com/lifestyle/news/bd/262403.details |access-date=2023-09-16 |work=banglanews24.com |language=bn}} Her role in the drama earned her the Meril Prothom Alo Award for Best TV Actress (Popular) in 2008. Shimu first came into the public spotlight as a model in a TV commercial for Lever Brothers, shot in Bombay in 1999. Her popularity increased further with her appearances in Euro Orange TV commercials.{{Cite news |script-title=bn:শুভ জন্মদিন সুমাইয়া শিমু |language=en |url=https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/entertainment/101336 |access-date=2023-09-17}} In recent years, she has appeared in commercials for Square Toiletries and Nestle Bangladesh. She has made only one film appearance, in Bachelor. She marked her debut on the OTT platform through "Besura", which was the final episode of "Dui Shaw", directed by Nuhash Humayun.{{Cite news |date=2025-01-06 |title=‘Besura’ from ‘Dui Shaw’ debuts Sumaiya Shimu on OTT |url=https://images.thedailystar.net/entertainment/tv-film/news/besura-dui-shaw-debuts-sumaiya-shimu-ott-3793366 |access-date=2025-01-28 |language=en}}

In 2019, Shimu founded the non-profit foundation Better Future for Women (BFW), dedicated to empowering women by providing educational opportunities, skill-building programs, and entrepreneurship development. The organization also offers essential healthcare services to support women's participation in productive work and foster economic independence. Through this initiative, Shimu has created sustainable opportunities for women to engage meaningfully in their communities and contribute to the broader economy. BFW has collaborated with prominent organizations such as the Commonwealth of Learning (COL),{{Cite news |title=Case story: COL making a difference for women in Bangladesh |url=https://www.col.org/news/case-story-col-making-a-difference-for-women-in-bangladesh?fbclid=IwY2xjawGIlXBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHST85g1wDEcgLvjOU3dIYDj2RWFLMozetD4SNiVSvFScmtZubY3ftTaLJQ_aem_qvGptCaBJRtNa5hu0e2S_g |access-date=2024-10-26 |language=en-US}} Uber in Bangladesh.{{Cite news |date=2022-07-22 |title=Commonwealth of Learning, Better Future for Women join hands to offer Workforce Recovery Initiative in Bangladesh |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/217076/commonwealth-of-learning-better-future-for-women |access-date=2023-09-17}}

In 2017, Shimu was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for Relief International, where she raised awareness about the Rohingya refugee crisis and helped secure critical funding for the organization's operations in Bangladesh.{{Cite news |title=Sumaiya Shimu as goodwill ambassador |work=The New Nation |language=en |url=http://thedailynewnation.com/news/149126/Sumaiya-Shimu-as-goodwill-ambassador |access-date=2023-09-25}}

On August 28, 2015, Shimu married Nazrul Islam, the then Bangladesh Country Director of Relief International, a USA based international non-governmental organization.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/showbiz/news/sumaiya-shimu-1774012 |title=Sumaiya Shimu |date=2019-07-20 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |access-date=2019-07-21}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/sumaiya-shimu-ties-the-knot-134107 |title=Sumaiya Shimu ties the knot! |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=August 28, 2015 |access-date=August 28, 2015}} On 8 November 2023, she gave birth to twin boys in a private hospital in Dhaka.{{Cite news |date=2023-11-19 |script-title=bn:যমজ সন্তানের মা হলেন অভিনেত্রী সুমাইয়া শিমু |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/entertainment/tv/cv9a3dydh5 |access-date=2023-11-20 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn}}

;Films

• Bachelor (2004)

;Television dramas

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• House full
• Sonalu Phul{{cite news |title=Sumaiya Shimu pairs up with Apurbo in new serial |newspaper=The New Nation |date=2015-01-30 |url=http://thedailynewnation.com/news/41315/sumaiya-shimu-pairs-up-with-apurbo-in-new-serial.html |access-date=October 19, 2015}}
• Projapoti Mon{{cite news |title=Actress Sumaiya Shimu on way to Dr. Sumaiya Shimu |newspaper=Priyo News |date=2010-09-28 |url=http://news.priyo.com/story/2010/sep/28/7562-actress-sumaiya-shimu-way-dr-sumaiya-shimu |access-date=October 19, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706093114/http://news.priyo.com/story/2010/sep/28/7562-actress-sumaiya-shimu-way-dr-sumaiya-shimu |archive-date=July 6, 2015}}
• Chhokka (2011){{cite news |title=Sumaiya Shimu to Cheer Tigers on the Field |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |date=2011-02-05 |url=http://www.dhakamirror.com/television/sumaiya-shimu-to-cheer-tigers-on-the-field/#more-25952 |access-date=October 19, 2015}}
• Teen Jonaki (2012){{cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=243897 |title=Sumaiya Shimu is on the go |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=2012-07-29 |access-date=August 28, 2015}}
• Lake Drive Lane (2015){{cite news |title=Sumaiya Shimu assigns to steal legal wills |author=Shadma Malik |work=Dhaka Tribune |date=2015-02-01 |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/entertainment/2015/feb/01/sumaiya-shimu-assigns-steal-legal-wills#sthash.2FnJSsr1.dpuf |access-date=October 19, 2015}}
• Briefcase (2015){{cite news |script-title=bn:কথা রাখলেন জনপ্রিয় অভিনেত্রী সুমাইয়া শিমু ! |newspaper=Daily Janatar Kontho |date=2015-09-26 |language=bn |url=http://janatarkontho.com/news/6405 |access-date=October 19, 2015}}
• Protarok Priyodorshini (2015){{cite news |script-title=bn:প্রতারক সুমাইয়া শিমু! |author=Aminul e Shanto |work=Risingbd.com |date=2015-10-10 |language=bn |url=http://www.risingbd.com/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81/128547 |access-date=October 19, 2015}}