Commander Abdur Rouf, one of the key Liberation War organisers, and martyred intellectual Muhammad Anwar Pasha, were awarded posthumously.
The recipients of Bangladesh’s highest civilian awards also include MP Golam Dastagir Gazi and Azizur Rahman for their contribution to independence and the Liberation War, the Cabinet Division said in a statement on Thursday.
Professor Md Ubaidul Kabir and Prof AKM Muktadir are receiving the awards in medical science.
Bharateswari Homes, a boarding school for girls in Tangail, is named in education category.
Freedom fighter SM Rois Uddin Ahmedis has been named for the award in literature. In culture, the winners are Kalipada Das and actress Ferdousi Majumdar.
Since 1977, Bangladesh has honoured individuals and institutions with the award every year ahead of Independence Day on Mar 26.
The awardees had been receiving a gold medal, a certificate and Tk 300,000 but the government has raised the amount to Tk 500,000 this year.