Rafiath Rashid Mithila is a Bangladeshi actress, singer, model and development worker. She is currently the Head of Early Childhood Development programme in BRAC International.
Early life and education
Born on 25 May 1984 Mithila completed her Secondary and Higher secondary from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College. Then she completed her bachelor's and master's in political science at the University of Dhaka. She completed her second Masters in early childhood development from BRAC University. She was a valedictorian and achieved the Chancellor's gold medal for her academic performance in her master's degree in 2016. Rafiath has started her PhD in the University of Geneva in Switzerland from December 2019. She took Kathak, Manipuri and Bharat Natyam dance lessons in Benuka Dance Academy and got trained in Nazrul geeti in Hindol music academy. She was a student of the art school Nandan. Some of her oil paintings were displayed in Drik Gallery in a group exhibition. She also performed for People's Theater Group as a theater artist in her childhood.
Career in audio-visual media
Mithila started her modeling career in 2002 with the cultural and fashion shows of fashion house Neelanjana Palli. She appeared in TV commercials/ads and became the brand ambassador for many eminent brands and products, such as: Jui coconut oil, Robi, Banglalink, Hayes and Haier, Meril baby products, Bajaj hair oil, Close up tooth paste, Huawei etc. She was the model in the music videos Moyna Go and Ghum by the musician Habib Wahid and 'Ki Hole Ki Hoto' by Arnob. Mithila acted in the television serial "House Full", directed by Redoan Rony and Iftakher Ahmed Fahmi. She attained popularity for her role in the Houseful TV series. Mithila acted in various popular dramas and telefilms including X-Factor, Land phone er din gulote prem, Denmohor etc. Mithila also hosts country's one of the most popular celebrity talk shows 'Amar Ami' on Banglavision. She has sung many songs including title tracks of telefilms and has written lyrics of many popular songs.
Career in development sector
Rafiath Rashid Mithila has twelve years of experience working in the development sector. Currently, she is working as the Head of Early Childhood Development in BRAC International. She possesses extensive experience in project development, research, and teaching in the field of education and early childhood development. She has closely worked with the marginalized and excluded groups in Africa and Asia, and have designed and implemented innovative, cost-effective and sustainable education. She has worked in Bangladesh, Nepal, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. She is also in the core team for designing and implementing a play based ECD model in Uganda and Tanzania. She is an active advocate of women and children's rights in Bangladesh. She has also worked as a goodwill ambassador for the ‘Safe Internet for Children’ campaign run by Grameen Phone in Bangladesh. She designed and hosted country's first radio show on positive parenting in early childhood development named 'Berey Othar Golpo' on Radio Shadhin.
Career in academia
Mithila worked as a lecturer in Northern University Bangladesh. She taught English Literature at the high school in Scholastica. She has worked as a Tutor in AVID program at the Minneapolis Public School District in USA. Mithila has also worked as a guest faculty in the Dept. of Early Childhood Development in BRAC University. Currently she is pursuing her PhD in Early Childhood Education in the University of Geneva. Rafiath Rashid Mithila also writes in academic and non-academic platforms such as: journals, blogs, newspapers etc. Apart from writing lyrics and poems, she has recently focused her interest in writing children's story books and has already published a set of two books for early years children. Her books are: 'School er Prothom Din' for 3 to 5 years old children and 'Laal Balloon' for 1 to 3 years old children.
Personal life
Mithila met Tahsan Rahman Khan, a musician, in 2004, and they married on 6 August 2006. Together they have a daughter, Ayra Tehreem Khan. In July 2017, on a Facebook post, the couple announced their divorce. On 6 December 2019, Mithila married Indian film director and script writer Srijit Mukherji. Musician Arnob is Mithila's cousin.
