PM to hand over 'Ekushey Padak-2024' tomorrow

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the "Ekushey Padak-2024" to 21 eminent individuals tomorrow on the occasion of the Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day.

The premier will hand over the Ekushey Padak, the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, at a programme at Osmani Memorial Auditorium at 11am.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate messages on the occasion of awarding the Ekushey Padak.

In the separate messages, both the president and the prime minister wished success of the event.

The nation is set to observe the "Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day" on 21 February to pay glowing tributes to the Language Movement martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the cause of the mother language on this day in 1952.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin, in his message, said the Great Language Movement is an unforgettable event in the national history and the seed of Bangladesh's independence was sown through the language movement.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, paid her deep respect to the memory of all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect and uphold the dignity of the mother language 'Bangla' on 21 February 1952.

A total of 565 distinguished individuals and reputed institutions were awarded 'Ekushey Padak' in recognition of their contributions in various fields in national life, the premier mentioned.

The premier said a total of 21 individuals will get the country's second-highest civilian award, the Ekushey Padak, this year in recognition of their contributions to various fields.

This year two people got the award in the Language Movement category, one in making documentation on the Liberation War, 11 in Shilpakala (acting, music, recitation, arts and painting), two in social service, one in education and four in language and literature.

Md Ashrafuddin Ahmed and valiant Freedom Fighter Hatem Ali Mia (posthumously) have been named for the award in the Language Movement category.

Jalal Uddin Kha (posthumously), Freedom Fighter Kolyani Ghose, Bidit Lal Das (posthumously), Andru Kishore (posthumously) and Shuvra Deb will receive the award in the category of Shilpakala (music) while Shibli Mohammad in Shilpakala (dance), Doly Zahur and MA Alamgir in Shilpakala (acting), Khan Md Mustafa Walid (Shimul Mustafa), Rupa Chakrabarti in Shilpakala (recitation), Shajahan Ahmed Bikash in Shilpakala (painting), Kawsar Chowdhury in Shilpakala (documentation), Md Ziaul Haque and Rafique Ahmed in social service, Muhammad Samad, Luthfur Rahman Ritan, Minar Mansur and Rudra Muhammad Shahidullah (posthumously) (language and literature) and Professor Dr venerable Jinabodhi (education) have been named for the awards.

The cultural affairs ministry confers the award with a gold medal, a certificate of honour and cash.