Kaniz Fatema Roksana
Kaniz Fatema Roksana | |
|---|---|
কানিজ ফাতেমা রোকসানা | |
 | |
| Born | Titly February 26, 1955 |
| Died | August 5, 1984 Near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka |
| Cause of death | Plane crash |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Education | Eden Mohila College |
| Known for | First female pilot of Biman Airlines |
| Spouse | Syed Hasan Baker |
Syeda Kaniz Fatema Roksana (26 February 1955—5 August 1984) was Bangladesh's Biman Airlines' first female pilot.[1][2][3] She died on 5 August 1984 in a plane crash in a marsh near Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.[4] With a total death toll of 49 people, it remains the deadliest aviation disaster on Bangladeshi soil.[5] She was licensed as a commercial pilot in 1977.[6]
Early life and Education
Rokhsana was born on 26 February 1955 in Dhaka. Her nickname was Titli. Her mother's name was Syeda Razia Sultana. She passed SSC from Kamrunnesa Government Girls' School in 1969 and HSC from Sher-e-Bangla Girls' College (formerly Nari Shiksha Mandir) in 1973. Later, she completed her BSC from Eden College in 1975. Rokhsana was equally skilled in Spanish, German, French, and English languages.
Career
In 1976, Rokhsana enrolled at the Bangladesh Flying Club. In 1978, she obtained her commercial pilot's license. As a reward for her skill and courage, she was given the responsibility of an 'Instructor' at the Flying Club within two years. On 7 December 1978, she passed the Bangladesh Biman pilot recruitment test, but her appointment was delayed by the authorities because she was a woman. On 26 December 1979, she was appointed as Bangladesh's first female cadet pilot.
Plane crash
Rokhsana was promoted from cadet pilot to first officer. On 4 August 1984, while landing at Dhaka Airport in a Fokker F-27 flight from the port city of Chittagong, she died in a plane crash due to rain-disrupted weather. In the same accident, 45 passengers and 4 crew members were killed. Among the dead were a British citizen, a Japanese citizen, and 33 Bangladeshis who had returned from the Middle East.
The domestic flight from Chittagong to Dhaka failed twice to locate the runway due to heavy rainfall. During the third landing attempt, the plane crashed into a wetland about 500 meters before the runway. The aircraft sank 20 to 25 feet underwater. In the tragedy, all 49 people on board — including 44 passengers, two pilots, and three crew — died. This remains the deadliest plane crash within Bangladesh.[7]
Family life
Rokhsana's husband was Syed Hasan Baker. The couple had one son, Syed Shoaib Hasan Boni.
See also
References
- ^ "Plane crash kills female trainee pilot in Bangladesh". Deccan Herald. 2015-04-01. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
- ^ https://www.thedailystar.net/news/3-biman-pilots-sacked
- ^ https://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2010/03/01/cover.htm
- ^ Accident description for S2-ABJ at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ "AROUND THE WORLD; 49 Die in Bangladesh As Plane Plunges". The New York Times. 6 August 1984. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
- ^ Al-mahmood, Syed Zain; Karim, Elita; Kamol, Ershad; Hossain, Anika (2010-03-05). "Breaking the Glass Ceiling". The Star. 9 (10). Archived from the original on 2016-11-06. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
- ^ Ahmed, Bayezid (2025-08-14). "বাংলাদেশের প্রথম নারী পাইলট: এক সাহসী ও অদম্য নারীর গল্প" [Bangladesh's first female pilot: The story of a brave and indomitable woman]. Prothomalo (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-08-14.