The government will award a total of 181 business persons with CIP (commercially important person) status for the year 2021.

Of the awardees, 140 will receive the status for outstanding performance in the export category in 2021.

Meanwhile, 41 individuals from different trade chambers and bodies got the cards in the ex-officio category.

The Ministry of Commerce has sent a list to the Cabinet Division for consideration regarding the issue.

The recognition will be conferred to business persons for their extraordinary performance and contribution under export and trade categories.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi is expected to hand over the CIP cards to the final recipients at a ceremony.

The facilities a CIP cardholder enjoys include priority in seat reservations in airlines, rail, road and waterway transportation.

A CIP also gets a letter of introduction from the foreign ministry while travelling abroad.

They get special passes to enter the Secretariat, use special stickers on their cars and get invitations to different public functions.

The CIPs and their dependants also get cabins in hospitals on a priority basis.

Earlier, the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) sent a draft list of the CIPs to the commerce ministry for taking the necessary steps in this connection.