Ten women have received the ATJFB Aviator Women's Icon Award for their outstanding contribution to the aviation industry in Bangladesh.

They were awarded this honour in a ceremony at the Samson H Chowdhury Auditorium of the Dhaka Club in the capital on Wednesday offered by the Aviation and Tourism Journalists' Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB), an association of aviation and tourism journalists.

Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Faruk Khan was present as the chief guest at the event.

The awardees were US-Bangla Airlines Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Dilruba Parveen in Aviation Entrepreneur category, Butterfly Park Chairman Monwara Hakim Ali in Tourism Entrepreneur category, Atab General Secretary Afsia Jannat Saleh in Leadership category, Green TV Executive Editor Nadira Kiron in Journalist category, Deputy General Manager of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Training Center Rashida Kabir Chowdhury in Aviation Trainer category, Tasmin Doja of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in pilot category, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Share Tripe Sadia Haque in OTA Entrepreneur category, Samiya Halima Kabir, Aeronautical Engineer of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in Aeronautical Engineer category, Cabin Crew of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Farhana Islam Nusrat in Cabincrew category, and National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (NHTTI) trainer Jaheda Begum received the award in the Culinary Tourism category.

Faruk Khan said women have 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," he said.

"Sheikh Hasina's government is determined to empower women. I hope that women will go further in the aviation sector. We will provide all necessary facilities for this," he added.

Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said, "Bangladesh's aviation sector has about 6% female workforce. Neighbouring country India has the largest number of women workers in the sector in the world, at around 12%. I think that women workers should be increased in this sector in Bangladesh."

He also thanked ATJFB for organising such an event.

Mokammel Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Shafiul Azim, MD and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Bangladesh Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Abu Taher Muhammad Jaber, ATJFB President Tanjim Anwar and General Secretary (Acting) Baten Biplob were also present.