Independence Award to be handed over on April 11

The Independence Award (Swadhinata Puroskar)-2021, the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh, will be handed over on April 11.

The medals will be handed over to the awardees at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to take part in the event via video conference from Ganabhaban.

Soltan Ahmed, Additional Secretary of Cabinet division, confirmed the matter to Jago News on Wednesday.

The recipients are AKM Bazlur Rahman (posthumous), Shahid Ahsanullah Master (posthumous), Brigadier General Khushid Uddin Ahmed (posthumous), and Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu (posthumous) for Independence and Liberation War; Dr Mrinmay Goho Niyogi for science and technology; Mahadeb Shaha for literature; Ataur Rahman and Gazi Mazharul Anwar for Culture; Prof Dr M Amzad Hossain for social service; and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) will get the award as an organization.

The recipients of the award will receive a gold medal, a replica of the award, a certificate, and a sum of Tk 500,000.

Bangladesh honours individuals and institutions with the award every year ahead of Independence Day since 1977.