Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has called for the tourism sector to be made tobacco-free, emphasizing that smoking should be prohibited in hotels, following the ban on smoking in airplanes. She announced that the tobacco control law will soon be amended to include this provision.
Akhtar made the remarks at the ”ATJFB Aviatour Women’s Icon Award 2025” ceremony, organized by the Aviation and Tourism Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) at the Dhaka Club. She praised the achievements of the 10 awardees, all of whom have excelled in their respective fields, and expressed her hope that their success would inspire other women across the country.
The Adviser also highlighted the close relationship between the fisheries and livestock sectors and the tourism and aviation industries. She stressed that sectors like tourism and aviation rely heavily on products such as milk, eggs, fish, and meat.
Acknowledging the vital contributions of rural women to these industries, Akhter emphasized that their efforts are key to the growth and development of both the fisheries and tourism sectors.
During the event, ten outstanding women were honored for their exceptional contributions to Bangladesh’s aviation and tourism industries. The awards were presented by Farida Akhter and Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasrin Jahan.
The awardees included First Officer Fariha Tabassum (Pilot category), Engineering Officer Tahmina Akter (Aeronautical Engineer category), Manager of Ground Services Nilufa Yasmin (Aviation Ground Services), and Flight Steward Jinia Islam (Cabin Crew category). Other recipients included Nadia Farzana (Tourism Security), Sabera Sarwar Nina (Hotel Entrepreneur), Sabira Mehrin Saba (Tourism Entrepreneur), Wamia Walid (Promising Entrepreneur), Rita Nahar (Journalism), and Nazmun Nahar (Travel category).
The event was also attended by prominent figures such as the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Air Vice Marshal Md. Manzur Kabir Bhuiyan, Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Dr. Md. Safiqur Rahman, ATJFB President Tanzim Anwar, and General Secretary Baten Biplob.
