Staff Reporter : Galaxy Bangladesh Founder and Chairman Toufiq Uddin Ahmed has been awarded the “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his outstanding contribution to the development of Bangladesh’s travel and tourism industry for more than five decades. He was presented with the honor at the “Share Trip – Monitor Airline of the Year 2024” ceremony.
The award, the only one dedicated to the aviation and travel industry in the country, was presented at a ceremony held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital. The judging committee highly praised Toufiq Uddin Ahmed’s “visionary leadership and pioneering role” in transforming Bangladesh’s travel sector.
Tawfiq Uddin Ahmed’s journey began in 1972, when the travel industry in Bangladesh was at its infancy, by establishing Galaxy Travel International. Starting from a small office in the Dilkusha commercial area of Dhaka, he built the company into one of the country’s most respected and versatile service providers.
In the seventies and eighties, under the leadership of Toufiq Ahmed, Galaxy Travel established itself as one of the leading corporate travel service providers for government agencies , corporate houses , local and foreign banks , multinational companies (MNCs) and various NGOs in Bangladesh.
With a deep passion for travel and a strong determination to connect Bangladesh with the world, Tawfiq Ahmed took Galaxy to such heights that it became a pioneer in bringing international airlines to the Bangladeshi market. Under his leadership, Galaxy served as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for many international airlines including United Airlines , Ansat Australia , Kingfisher Airlines , Qatar Airways , Thai Airways , SpiceJet , Saudia , Oman Air , Jazeera Airways, and others.
Apart from building a professional corporate portfolio, he has also played a unique role in the development of the overall travel sector of the country. As the founding organizer of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) and a three-time elected President of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), he has actively led the way for higher industry standards , effective policies and collective progress. Under his guidance, Galaxy Visa Services was also launched , where international travel became easier , more efficient and more affordable for countless Bangladeshis through partnerships with international visa service providers like VFS Global .
Regarding this honor, Toufiq Uddin Ahmed said , “ This recognition is not only my personal achievement , but also a reflection of the hard work and dedication of the entire Galaxy family. I am sincerely grateful for the continued support of the airline’s partners , various ministries and government agencies , Civil Aviation Authority , Biman Bangladesh Airlines and other private airlines , Bangladesh Tourism Board and Bangladesh Tourism Corporation in our journey to put Bangladesh’s tourism industry on the global map. We are determined to maintain quality excellence , develop new talent and make the country’s aviation , travel and tourism sectors more dynamic.”
To this day, Toufiq Ahmed continues to inspire many in the country’s aviation and tourism sectors with his visionary thinking. He emphasizes the potential of medical and recreational tourism, and places special emphasis on building the necessary infrastructure for the sustainable development of the sector and promoting Bangladesh internationally.
The judging committee said , ” In recognition of Toufiq Uddin Ahmed’s outstanding contribution to the development and advancement of the travel industry in Bangladesh, he has been awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.”
The event organizers cited Toufiq Ahmed’s long career as a unique source of inspiration for Bangladesh’s aviation and tourism sectors. According to them , his commitment to connecting people to people , culture to culture, and destination to destination has further strengthened Bangladesh’s global connectivity..