Biman runs all-women flight

Biman Bangladesh Airlines yesterday operated a special flight by all women to mark the International Women's Day.

Captain Tania Reza and First Officer Sarwat Siraj Antara flew a Boeing 737-800 with all female crew on Dhaka-Sylhet route. The flight BG-603 took off from the domestic terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal Inter-national Airport with 80 passengers at 01:50pm.

Apart from pilots and cabin crew, female security personnel and ground handling staffs were deployed for the flight.

The national flag carrier took the initiative to encourage women in aviation sector.

At a ceremony held at the domestic terminal, Biman Managing Director and CEO AM Mosaddique Ahmed announced that Biman has taken a scheme to appoint 50 percent female staff by 2030.

Director (Admin) Mohammad Maminul Islam and Biman General Manager (PR) Shakil Meraj were also present.

Captain Tania Reza, who joined Biman in 2000, so far operated F-28, DC10-30 and Airbus A-310, and now she is serving as captain of Boeing 737-800. Tania has experienced 6,000 flying hours.

Besides, Antara joined Biman in 2011 and gained experience of flying with Dash8-Q400 and Boeing 737-800 so far. Biman has now 140 pilots, including nine females, and over 50 percent of its 400 cabin crews are females. Besides, female employees are working with efficiency in ground service, engineering section and other departments of Biman.