To recognise the special contributions of emerging, young and promising women from different walks of life, bti and The Daily Star honoured two women in "Social Welfare" and "Journalism" categories at an event yesterday.

The event -- "Stellar Women Awards" -- was held at bti Celebration Point, Gulshan-2 in Dhaka.

Tawhida Shiropa, the founder & CEO of Moner Bondhu, has been honoured as a "Stellar Woman" in the "Social Welfare" category, while Rozina Islam, a special correspondent at Prothom Alo, has received the award in the "Journalism" category

This initiative will award 12 women in 12 categories.

Previously, promising women from sectors such as "Development", "Technology", "Architecture", "Education", "Corporate", "Culture", "Sports", "Agriculture", "Startup & Entrepreneurship", and "Writing" have been recognised.

Upon receiving the award, Tawhida thanked bti and The Daily Star. "I hope there will be many initiatives like Stellar Women, where we can proudly present hard-working individuals who are still unsung or less heard of," she said.

Tawhida is the founder of the Bangladeshi startup Moner Bondhu, which provides low-cost and trusted mental healthcare support services.

Expressing gratitude, another Stellar Woman awardee, Rozina, said, "I understand the struggles of female journalists and believe that women should nurture their respective talents and be fearless."

She is also the head of crime reporting at Prothom Alo.

Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said the newspaper is honoured and delighted to be part of this noble initiative.

"This is indeed a great initiative. Generally, real estate companies do not come up with such social initiatives, but bti did. We, The Daily Star, are so proud to be a part of this initiative," he said.

FR Khan, managing director of bti, while addressing the event, said, "bti believes in the power of acknowledging and appreciating women who have shattered glass ceilings, overcome obstacles, and made extraordinary contributions to society. The Stellar Women Awards will shine a spotlight on these incredible individuals and their stories, inspiring others to pursue their dreams fearlessly."

Among others, Tajdin Hassan, chief business officer of The Daily Star, its Head of Marketing Imran Kadir, bti CEO Nalaka Hettiarachchi, and its Executive Director of Communication and Brand Management Aysha Siddiqua were present at the event.