Rafida Bonya Ahmed

Minnesota State University, Mankato
Ahmed moved to the United States to complete her undergraduate degree in Computer Information Science, which launched her initial corporate career.

Rafida Bonya Ahmed initially built a successful corporate career in the United States, working as a Senior Director at a major credit bureau. Despite her demanding professional life, she maintained a deep commitment to science communication and secular advocacy in her native Bangladesh. This passion led her to collaborate closely with Avijit Roy on Mukto-Mona, an influential blog for freethinkers.

In 2007, Ahmed authored 'Bibortoner Path Dhore' (Along the Evolutionary Path), a groundbreaking popular science book in Bangladesh. The book played a crucial role in introducing the concepts of biological evolution to a Bengali-speaking audience. She also served as a core moderator for Mukto-Mona, helping it win the prestigious BOBS jury award in 2015.

The brutal 2015 machete attack at the Dhaka Ekushey Book Fair, which killed her husband and left her severely injured, marked a traumatic turning point. Following her recovery, Ahmed took an extended leave of absence from her corporate career to focus entirely on activism. She immediately began working with humanist networks in Europe and North America to rescue secular bloggers facing death threats in Bangladesh.

Ahmed transitioned into academia, joining the University of Texas at Austin as a visiting research scholar to study Islamic fundamentalism. She delivered powerful addresses globally, including the 2015 British Humanist Association's Voltaire Lecture and a poignant TEDx Talk in Exeter in 2018. Her advocacy earned her the 'Forward' award from the Freedom From Religion Foundation in 2016.

In 2019, Ahmed co-founded 'Think', a charity dedicated to creating accessible educational videos in Bangla, English, and other languages. The initiative aims to counter extremism by promoting scientific literacy and critical thinking globally. Through her continued writing, research, and educational outreach, Ahmed remains a leading global voice against religious fundamentalism and censorship.

Bonya Ahmed was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where she spent her early formative years before moving to the United States for higher education. She met her late husband, Avijit Roy, through their mutual passion for science and secular humanism on the Mukto-Mona platform. Their relationship was deeply rooted in shared intellectual pursuits and a mutual dedication to human rights.

She is a devoted mother to her daughter, Trisha Ahmed, from her first marriage. Trisha has actively joined her mother and late stepfather in advocating for secularism, famously co-authoring articles to raise awareness about imprisoned bloggers. Bonya is known to be incredibly supportive of her daughter’s academic and advocacy endeavors.

In addition to surviving the 2015 terrorist attack, Ahmed is a survivor of thyroid cancer, having undergone extensive treatment in 2011 to achieve remission. Despite the immense physical and emotional trauma she has endured, she channels her experiences into global philanthropy and education. Her hobbies include reading extensively, writing, and engaging in philosophical debates.

Through her charity, Think, she engages in widespread philanthropic efforts aimed at democratizing education in developing regions. She spends her personal time mentoring young activists and scholars who are forced into exile due to their beliefs. Her private life remains a quiet testament to the enduring power of hope and intellectual courage.