Aniqa Alam's many tiaras: Pageant queen, mother and proud Bangladeshi

In just 20 days, Aniqa Alam experienced a whirlwind of 'firsts'. Aniqa had gotten her first roommate. It was also her first time participating in a beauty pageant. But more importantly, this was her first time representing Bangladesh in the Miss Universe Pageant 2024 at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico.

Aniqa was also the first mother to participate in Miss Universe, on behalf of Bangladesh, after the pageant changed its rules to allow mothers and married women to participate in 2022. 

After the news of her participation in Miss Universe broke, she was labelled with many titles on social media and news outlets–makeup artist, philanthropist, mother and so on. 

But after spending an afternoon with her, she seemed like a simple woman with big dreams. 

"We do not really see a lot of Bangladeshis at international beauty pageants, and it isn't because they aren't interested. In fact, during my time at Miss Universe, the judges were quite curious about our culture, and I loved answering their questions."

Aniqa Alam

In a glittery tiger-striped dress, donning two tigers–one resting on her shoulder and the other on her hip–Aniqa Alam strutted down the ramp on 14 November at one of the most globally renowned pageants. And she did it flawlessly. 

Little do people know, Aniqa's team only had 14 days to prepare for the Miss Universe pageant which started on 30 October this year. 

"Since we had such a short time to prepare, I knew I had to give it my all. Starting from two hours at the gym to three hours of walking practice and grooming, to fittings and photo shoots and video shoots," said Aniqa, adding, "There wasn't a moment in those days that I wasn't getting ready."

And though she wishes she had gotten more time to spend on her look, she wasn't quite bothered by the competitive nature of the pageant–for her, it was a stepping stone toward achieving her greater goals.

Diversity and representation is an issue that she feels close to. "We do not really see a lot of Bangladeshis at international beauty pageants, and it isn't because they aren't interested. In fact, during my time at Miss Universe, the judges were quite curious about our culture, and I loved answering their questions," shared Aniqa.

She continued, "Women from diverse professional backgrounds, such as doctors and journalists were represented at Miss Universe, and participants from Bangladesh should not feel confined to modelling fields alone." 

Representation of Bangladesh on international platforms is important so the world can see how much the nation has grown, and to break misconceptions people might have, according to Aniqa. 

This gave a little insight into Aniqa's backstory which paved her way to becoming Miss Universe Bangladesh.

With a degree in Political Science, a part of Aniqa's social cause was Zero Hunger – a UN Sustainable Development Goal. "I will continue to use my platform to aid people without food as it remains a neglected issue," Aniqa stated.

Aniqa considers herself an introvert. She felt wary about having a roommate, especially during a highly competitive event. But to her pleasant surprise, she formed friendships with people from around the globe. These connections, she believes, will last a lifetime.

"I got the opportunity to meet so many amazing women and they have such amazing stories to share. The things they have endured in life and the fact that they overcame such adversities to stand here at Miss Universe today, left me in complete awe of their strength," reflected Aniqa. 

Apart from her goals, Aniqa also shared the new experiences and challenges she faced at the pageant. She struggled the most with being away from her family, especially her two-year-old son.

"I missed him so much. I wouldn't even video call him too often because it was difficult to see his face and be so far away. He's too young to understand fully but he was so excited to see me on screen and say, 'That's my mommy'," said Aniqa, smiling. 

Above all, it seems like Aniqa's passion mostly lies in sharing her experiences and empowering a new generation of youths to chase their dreams. 

"I believe I can inspire young women to seize opportunities when they arise. Each of us has something unique to offer, and if given the chance to showcase it to the world, we should strive to do so with excellence, and represent our country proudly," she shared. 

She is committed to sharing the knowledge and guidance she lacked with future Miss Universe aspirants.