21 get Ekushey Padak, 2018

Twenty one eminent citizens were yesterday given the Ekushey Padak, 2018 for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presented the prestigious award to the recipients at a ceremony held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.

The awardees are: AJM Takiullah (posthumous) and Professor Mirza Mazharul Islam in language movement, Sheikh Sadi Khan, Sujeyo Shyam, Indra Mohan Rajbangshi, Md Khurshid Alam and Matiul Haque Khan in music, Begum Minu Haque (Minu Billah) in dance, Humayun Faridi (posthumous) in acting, Nikhil Sen in drama, Kalidas Karmakar in fine arts, Golam Mustafa in photography, Ranesh Moitro in journalism, Language Veteran Professor Zulekha Haque (posthumous) in research, Dr Mainul Islam in economics, Ilias Kanchan in social service, Syed Manjurul Islam, Saiful Islam Khan (poet Hayat Saif), Subrata Barua, Rabiul Hussain and Khalekdad Chowdhury (posthumous) in language and literature.

Each recipient got a gold medal, a certificate and a cheque of Taka 2 lakh.

Minister for Cultural Affairs Asaduzzaman Noor presided over the function, while Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam conducted the Ekushey Award- distribution programme and read out the citations of the awardees.

Cultural Affairs Secretary Ibrahim Hossain Khan gave the welcome address.

Cabinet members, the PM’s advisors, judges, parliament members, foreign diplomats, litterateurs, academics, writers, poets, senior journalists, Ekushey Award laureates of previous years and high civil and military officials attended the function.

The Ekushey Padak, the second highest civilian award of the country introduced in 1976 in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952, is given every year to individuals and organizations for their outstanding contribution to various fields including literature, music, education, journalism, poverty reduction, research, and visual arts.