10 women honoured for contribution to aviation, tourism

Ten women were honoured on Wednesday for their outstanding achievement in aviation, tourism, aeronautical engineering and culinary.

In association with Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Aviation and Tourism Journalists Association of Bangladesh gave the award to the women for their significant contribution in the aviation and tourism sector.

The event was organised at the Dhaka Club in the city.

Civil aviation and tourism minister Muhammad Faruk Khan handed over the awards to them in presence of secretary of civil aviation ministry Mokammel Hossain, chairman of civil aviation authority of Bangladesh air vice marshal M Mafidur Rahman, Biman managing director Shafiul Azim, Bangladesh tourism board chief executive officer Abu Taher Muhammad Jaber.

The awarded are – Tasmin Doza, a senior pilot of Biman, Samiya Halima Kabir, aeronautical engineer of Biman, Sadia Haque, co-founder and chief executive of Share Trip, Afsia Jannat Saleh, general secretary of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh, Farhana Islam Nusrat, cabin crew of Biman, Jaheda Bagum, head of culinary training, national hotel and tourism training institute, Dilruba Parvin, deputy managing director, US-Bangla Airlines, Rashida Kabir Chowdhury, deputy general manager, Bangladesh Airlines Training Centre, Monwara Hakim Ali, chairman Butterfly Park and Nadira Kiron, executive editor, Green TV.

Faruk Khan said that women had done well and progressed whenever given the opportunity.

‘Today’s award is also a unique award. We will do whatever is necessary to maintain the continuity of this arrangement. No one will be able to suppress women,’ he added.

The minister said that there was a time when the main obstacle in women’s progress was the government and her family. But that had gone. Sheikh Hasina’s government was determined to empower women.

‘I hope that women will go further in the aviation sector. We will provide the necessary facilities for this,’ he said.

Mafidur Rahman said that Bangladesh’s aviation sector had around 6 per cent female workforce.

Neighbouring country India had the largest number of women workers in the sector in the world, which was around 12 per cent, he informed.

‘I think that women’s participation should be increased in this sector in Bangladesh,’ he added.

He also said that not only pilot and crew, but also the number of technicians and engineers should be increased in the aviation sector.