Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina bestowed the prestigious Ekushey Padak, the second-highest civilian award in Bangladesh, upon 21 outstanding individuals in acknowledgment of their remarkable contributions across various fields. The awards ceremony took place at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, organized by the cultural affairs ministry on the occasion of International Mother Language Day 2024.
Among the recipients, posthumous honors were granted to Ashraf Uddin Ahmed and freedom fighter Hatem Ali Mia for their pivotal roles in the Language Movement. Additionally, Jalal Uddin Kha, freedom fighter Kalyani Ghosh, posthumous awardees Bidit Lal Das and Andrew Kishore, and Subhro Dev were recognized for their noteworthy contributions to music. Shibli Mohammad, Dolly Johur, and MA Alamgir received the Ekushey Padak for excellence in dance, acting, and elocution, respectively.
Esteemed elocutionists Shimul Mustapha and Rupa Chakraborty were also among the distinguished recipients of the Ekushey Padak.
The awards extended to Shahjahan Ahmed Bikash and Kawsar Chowdhury for their commendable contributions to painting and documentary films related to the Liberation War. Md Ziaul Haque and Rafiq Ahmed were recognized for their exemplary social services.
In the realm of language and literature, Muhammad Samad, Lutfor Rahman Riton, Minar Monsur, and Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah were honored with the Ekushey Padak. Jinabodhi Bhikkhu received the award for his significant contribution to education.
The award-giving ceremony, chaired by Cultural Affairs Secretary Khalil Ahmed, saw Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain conducting the function and reading out the citations of the distinguished award recipients. The event celebrated the achievements of these remarkable individuals, highlighting their profound impact on various facets of Bangladeshi society.
