Bangladesh Air Force yesterday told the parliamentary standing committee on Defence ministry that they launched a process to induct more women to ensure that over 20 percent its officers were female.
“The committee was informed that for the first time in the history, women pilots were recruited in air force and a process is underway to appoint 20 to 25 percent of its officers from womenfolk,” a statement of the JS committee said.
It said the steps were taken in line with the government initiatives for women empowerment.
The statement was issued after a meeting of the committee presided over by its chairman retired major general Muhammad Subid Ali Bhuiyan while it was joined by members Muhammad Faruk Khan, Md Mahbubur Rahman, Dr Dipu Moni, Md Ilias Uddin Mollah, Mahmud-us Samad Chowdhury and Hosne Ara Begum.
Air force chief Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari and concerned officials including those of the defence ministry attended the meeting at the Sangsad Bhaban.
The statement said the air chief and concerned officials also explained the initiatives to modernise the air force and facilities to officers to acquire higher academic degrees abroad.
It said the meeting was informed that the air force personnel so far took part in 24 UN peace missions since 1995 and currently 633 of them were working in blue helmet missions in nine countries.
