She was recognised as one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2020 for her work when she was organising 400 meals a day during the COVID-19 pandemic for unemployed Dhaka sex workers.
There is a drop-in centre where the workers can accessed support including health and legal advice and when required they can get help with births and funerals.
Some had some savings but many had none and as the brothels (classed as entertainment venues) closed many of their workers tried to sell on the street which created more competition and increased health risks for those involved.
[2] Akter was trying to arrange sewing classes for older sex workers so that they could find paid work as an alternative to begging for assistance.
The other Bangladeshi woman was the teacher Rima Sultana Rimu who was teaching Rohingya refugees.