PM distributes Ekushey Padak 2022

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina distributed ‘Ekushey Padak-2022’ among 24 eminent persons for their outstanding contribution to society and the country.

She virtually joined the Padak distribution ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city from her official residence Ganabhaban on Sunday morning.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, Liberation War Affairs Minister A K M Mozammel Haque handed over the Ekushey Padak, the second-highest civilian award in the country, to the recipients.

With State Minister for Cultural Affairs K M Khalid in the chair, Secretary of the ministry Md Abul Monsur delivered the welcome address. Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam conducted the award-giving ceremony and read out the citations of the recipients.

Earlier on February 3, the government announced the names of 24 eminent people for the ‘Ekushey Padak 2022’ for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

This year, two persons got the award in the Language Movement category, four in the Liberation War, seven in Shilpakala (art, music and dance), two in Social Service, two in Language and Literature, four in Research and one each in journalism, Science and Technology, and education.

Mostafa MA Matin (posthumous) and Mirza Tofazzal Hossain Mukul (posthumous) won the award in the field of Language Movement.

Valiant freedom fighter Alhaj Principal Md Matiur Rahman, Syed Moazzem Ali (posthumous), QABM Rahman and Amzad Ali Khandaker have been nominated under the category of Liberation War.

Jinat Barkatullah has been nominated for dance; Nazrul Islam Babu (posthumous), Iqbal Ahmed and Mahmudur Rahman Benu for music; Khaled Mahmud Khan (posthumous), Afzal Hossain and Masum Aziz for acting.

MA Malek won the award for journalism while Md Anawar Hossain won in science and technology and Professor Dr. Gautam Buddha Das won in education.

SM Abraham Lincoln and Sangharaj Gyanshree Mahather have been nominated in the social service category.

Poet Kamal Chowdhury and Jharna Das Purkayastha won the award in the language and literature category.

Dr. Md Abdus Sattar Mandal, Dr. Md Enamul Haque (team leader), Dr. Shahanaz Sultana (team) and Dr. Jannatul Ferdous (team) have been nominated under the research category.

The Ekushey Padak was introduced in the memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement in 1952.

The award is given to individuals and organizations in recognition of contributions to a number of fields including the War of Liberation, literature, music, education, journalism, poverty reduction, research, and visual arts.

ARR