Twenty
eminent personalities and an organisation have received Ekushey Padak,
the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, in recognition of their
contributions to various fields.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on
Thursday handed over the most prestigious award to the 20 personalities
and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) at a programme at the
Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.
Cultural Affairs Ministry
organized the programme, where the awardees themselves and the family
members of the posthumous award winners have received gold medals and
certificates and cheque of Tk 2 lakh as prize money.
Earlier on
February 5, the Ministry named the 20 persons and an organization for
the prestigious award in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement
of 1952.
This year, Aminul Islam Badsha (posthumous) was given the
award for his role in the Language Movement while Dalia Nowshin, Shankar
Roy and Mita Haque were recognised for their contributions to music,
Golam Mostafa Khan, SM Mohsin and Prof Dr Farida Zaman for dance,
performing arts and fine arts respectively.
Haji Akhter Sarder
(posthumous), eminent singer Abdul Jabbar (posthumous) and Dr AAM
Mesbahul Haque (posthumous) were given the award for their roles in the
Liberation War, while journalist Zafar Wazed (Ali Wazed Zafar) for his
contribution to journalism, Dr Jahangir Alam, Hafez Qari Syed Saifur
Rahman Nizami Shah and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute for their
roles in research, and Prof Dr Bikiran Prasad Barua for education.
Prof
Dr Shamsul Alam and Sufi Mohammad Mizanur Rahman got the award for
making contributions to economy and social service respectively, while
Dr Nurun Nabi, Sikder Aminul Haque (posthumous) and Nazmun Nesa Piari
for their contribution to language and literature, and Prof Dr Sayeba
Akhter for contribution to the medical science.
State Minister for
Cultural Affairs KM Khalid presided over the function while Cabinet
Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam conducted and read out the citations of
the awardees.
Cultural Affairs Secretary Dr Md Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal delivered the welcome speech.
Cabinet
members, Prime Minister's advisors, judges, parliament members, foreign
diplomats, writers, poets, academics, journalists, Ekushey Award
laureates of previous years and senior civil servants and military
officials attended the function.
