Tabassum Ferdous Shaon is representing Bangladesh at the 51st Miss World beauty pageant. Contestants from 101 countries are going to participate at this gala of vibrant beauty to be held in the Sun-City of South Africa on 16 November 2001. Shaon has been selected by local tabloid Manabjamin and London Link Promotion.

Shaon, five-foot eight inch tall, is the youngest daughter of Nurul Islam Talukdar, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, and mother Jakera Islam. Apart from her studies she has a knack for traveling, dancing, swimming, music and handball. She has a very good command of English. She wants to serve the distressed children and women of Bangladesh as a lawyer in future.

Currently, she works as a model for 'Elite 2001 Promotion and Event Management'. She has appeared as a model at a number of fashion shows at home and abroad including French Fashion Week, Dhaka, in 1997, Under the Auspice of UNESCO in the US and London Fashion Week in 1998, Artist Collection and Arang Bridal Collection in 2000 and Bridal Asia Fashion Show in Delhi.

Shaon left Dhaka for South Africa on 23 October and attended a press conference the after, among others, at the Sun City Media Centre. The pre-judging of the pageantry will be held on 15 November. And the grand finale will be transmitted live around the globe on November 16.