Ekush is very important in history of Bengali liberation struggle: PM

On the occasion of Amar Ekushey February and International Mother Language Day, the country’s second-highest honor, the Ekushey Padak, has been conferred on eminent personalities.
On behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque handed over the medals to 21 awardees at a function held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Saturday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the programme virtually as the chief guest via video conference from Ganabhaban.

In recognition of their unique contribution in the national arena, 21 eminent personalities have been nominated for the ‘Ekushey Padak’ this year. Their names were announced by the Ministry of Culture on Thursday (February 4).

Congratulating the recipients on the occasion, the Prime Minister termed the award as an honor not for any individual but for the nation as a whole, saying Ekush is very important in the history of the Bengali liberation struggle.

Sheikh Hasina said, “All our achievements starting from independence are following the path of Ekushey.”

This year, three in the Language Movement, three in the Liberation War category, seven in Art, three in Language and Literature, one in Journalism, one in Research, one in Education, one in Economics and one in Social Service received the Ekushey Padak.

The awardees are – Motahar Hossain Talukdar (posthumous), Shamsul Haque (posthumous) and Advocate Afsar Uddin Ahmed (posthumous) for their roles in the Language Movement.

Begum Papia Sarowar in music, Raisul Islam Asad and Salma Begum Sujata in arts, Ahmed Iqbal Haidar in drama and Syed Salahuddin Zaki in film, Dr Bhaskar Bandopandhay in recitation and Pavel Rahman for photography.

Golam Hasnayen, Fazlur Rahman Khan Faruk and Syeda Issabela (posthumous) got the award for their contributions to the Liberation War

Besides, Ajay Dasgupta got the award for his contributions to journalism, Prof Dr Samir Kumar Saha for research, Mahfuza Khanam for education, Dr Mirza Abdul Jalil for economics and Prof Kazi Kamruzzaman for social service and Poet Kazi Rozy, Bulbul Chowdhury and Golam Murshid for their contributions to language and literature.

The awardees received their respective medals themselves and children and family members received the posthumous medal on behalf of the awardees. State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed received the award on behalf of the late public leader Shamsul Haque and his son Kabir bin Anwar, Senior Secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources, received the award on behalf of the late Freedom Fighter Syeda Issabela (posthumous). On the other hand, one of the students received the award on behalf of Golam Murshid.

Gold medals, certificates and checks were given as prizes. State Minister for Culture KM Khalid presided over the function.

Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam read out the citations of the medal winners and conducted the award ceremony. Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Md. Badrul Arefin delivered the welcome address.

The event was attended by cabinet members, advisers to the Prime Minister, members of the parliament, senior military and civilian officials, eminent personalities of the country, poets, writers, intellectuals and invited guests.