In Memoriam: Fairooz Shafin, Faculty of Science

Born: Jan. 28, 2002 in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Passed away: Sept. 14, 2023 in Calgary, Canada

Fairooz Shafin came into this world with a tragically short lifespan of only 21 years. She was a third-year international student of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at the University of Calgary, originally from Bangladesh. On the bright, sunny morning of Sept. 14, 2023, she was struck by a car while crossing a road to the university campus to attend her classes. She was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries but did not survive. Thus, a beautiful, bright, and talented young woman left this world too soon and suddenly.

Fairooz was dedicated and tremendously hard working. She secured an internship in enterprise applications at NorthRiver Midstream Inc. as a summer student in her second year. She had a passion for learning and showed remarkable growth and dedication in her work.

Prior to the tragic accident, she had been excitedly preparing for the annual Canadian Celebration of Women in Computing Conference (CAN-CWiC), which was scheduled for Oct. 20-21, 2023, in Toronto. Although she had secured university funding to attend the event, her untimely demise prevented her from participating in the conference.

Before pursuing higher studies in Canada, Fairooz was an outstanding student of the Advanced Level program at Sunnydale School in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She completed her A Levels with excellent results. She represented the Sunnydale Model United Nations (MUN) Club as a delegate and participated in the Young Founders School Entrepreneurship Boot Camp and Startup Competition 2019. She led her tech startup team as CEO. Earlier, she received the Edexcel High Achievers Award from the British Council and The Daily Star Award for remarkable achievements in the O Level examination.

Fairooz was a talented storyteller, a skilled content writer, and a passionate literature enthusiast. She had a flair for creating engaging fiction and captivating stories. She loved music, reading, travelling, movies, and football matches. She also used to enjoy working out at the gym and playing basketball.

Fairooz had a beautiful soul, always with a smile on her face, humble and kind, friendly and compassionate. She had a unique way of bringing her friends together and was always there to support them as needed. Her outstanding contribution was acknowledged as Community Outreach and Peer Support Team Peer Helper – Winter 2023 by the university Women’s Resource Centre.

Fairooz had so much to offer the world as a luminous and inspiring soul. One day, she penned a profound thought: “The universe will strip away all the things that hold you back if you aren’t willing to let go.”

Fairooz Shafin's words will forever resonate in the hearts of those who cherish her.

Fairooz’s cheerful disposition and friendly smile left behind an indelible imprint on every heart that she had touched. Although she will remain unseen and unheard, she will always be a precious child in every breath, every heartbeat, and every dream of her beloved parents, Dr. Mamun and Dr. Kumkum.

She will forever be the most caring and loving sister to her adorable younger sister Sama, who will terribly miss her tight hugs. Fairooz will always be the dearest, kindest, and most caring friend to Mahira, her university friend.

She will be deeply missed but forever remembered by her loving friends, caring relatives, inspiring teachers, and supportive colleagues, as well as her surrogate family in Calgary. They will cherish every memory of her today, tomorrow, and always.