From Bangladeshi roots to natural algae dyes

by Navta Hussain

Co-founder of DyeRecycle

Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month 2025 with Redwan Rahman, researcher in Sustainable Chemical Engineering and co-founder of Brilliant Dyes.

My roots are in Bangladesh—specifically in Dhaka and Chattogram—where I watched rivers like the Buriganga turn flat under the weight of synthetic dye pollution.

These untreated dyes have devastated aquatic ecosystems and are linked to rising healthcare costs, estimated at £3 billion annually, for communities facing skin diseases and cancer.

Driven by my heritage

Fuelled by my Bangladeshi roots, I transitioned from a top-performing fisheries and aquaculture student earning distinctions and a Gold Medal, to a researcher tackling water pollution head-on.

The rivers of my childhood ignited a vision: to pioneer a cleaner, sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes. And that is how Brilliant Dyes was born.

Microalgae: A route to resilience

At Imperial College London, I am harnessing microalgae and cyanobacteria to produce natural, carbon‑negative dyes through a carbon-capturing, circular bioprocess.

This closed-loop system is not just environmentally friendly, it is tailored for high-value applications in textiles, cosmetics, and food industries. 

It is a powerful synergy of roots and routes, inspired by my heritage and scaled through global innovation.

People looking into the camera
Redwan, deep in research: Pilot-scale cultivation of cyanobacteria in a photobioreactor

Reversing and preventing pollution

By shifting from synthetic to microalgae-derived dyes, my research aims to:

  • Prevent dye pollution: helping restore rivers to thriving ecosystems
  • Reduce illness: improving public health in vulnerable communities
  • Fuel green job creation: specifically in Bangladesh, empowering scientists and engineers with sustainable skills

 A future built on connection

Imperial’s vibrant, innovation-driven ecosystem, powered by AI, sustainability initiatives, and interdisciplinary collaboration, has enabled me to establish a dedicated research wing.

Here, I bridge cutting-edge engineering with real-world environmental impact.

My journey from Bangladesh’s waterways to pioneering labs in London truly embodies this year's theme 'Roots to Routes', where personal heritage meets a global route to a cleaner, brighter future.

South Asian Heritage Month

South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) first took place in 2020 and seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities.

South Asian culture has made a significant impact on Britain in various aspects, such as food, clothing, music, words, and the overall ambiance of our towns and cities. 

This year's theme, 'Roots to Routes', reflects on journeys, whether from ancestral origins to the paths taken, or something much more recent, and how these experiences shape identity today. 

This is part one of a two-part series, shining the spotlight on South Asian staff and students across the Department of Chemical Engineering. Check out our second instalment, featuring Dr Deesha Chadha, Teaching Fellow at the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Article text (excluding photos or graphics) © Imperial College London.

Photos and graphics subject to third party copyright used with permission or © Imperial College London.

Reporter

Navta Hussain

Department of Chemical Engineering