7 to get Independence Awards, Ziaur Rahman’s accolade reinstated

Recipients include pop king Azam Khan, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, and BUET student Abrar Fahad

The government is presenting the Independence Award – the country’s highest civilian honour - to seven individuals for their meritorious contributions to the nation.

Recipients this year include pop king Azam Khan, BRAC founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, and BUET student Abrar Fahad.

The government has also decided to reinstate the posthumous award presented to late president Ziaur Rahman, which had previously been revoked.

The Cabinet Division announced the nominees in a notification on Tuesday, naming six of the seven for posthumous accolades.

Writer and intellectual Badruddin Umar is the only nominee alive but he said it was “impossible” for him to accept the award in the Education and Research category.

Abrar, the BUET student who was tortured to death by Chhatra League activists, will be given the prestigious award under a new category -- “Protesting Youth”.

The other nominees are:

Prof Jamal Nazrul Islam in Science and Technology

Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud in Literature

Novera Ahmed in Culture

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in Social Service

Mohammad Mahbubul Haque Khan, aka Azam Khan in Liberation War and Culture

The Independence Award is the country’s highest civilian honour, which has been awarded annually by the government since 1977 on the occasion of Independence Day on Mar 26.

Award recipients receive Tk 300,000, an 18-karat gold medal weighing 50 gm, a replica of the medal, and a certificate.

ZIA’S AWARD RESTORED

During the term of the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance in 2003, Zia received the Independence Award. Later in 2016, the Awami League government scrapped the accolade after a Supreme Court verdict.

However, the Supreme Court directive was not specifically aimed at cancelling Zia’s award, so the interim government decided to revoke the previous decision and restore the accolade.

BADRUDDIN ADAMANT

On Mar 6, Badruddin announced his decision to reject the award.

In a statement sent by Jatiya Mukti Council General Secretary Faiezul Hakim, Badruddin explained that he has been nominated for awards by different government and non-government organisations since 1973, but has never accepted any of them.

Badruddin expressed gratitude to the current interim government for considering him for the award but reiterated that he would not accept it.

When Tuesday’s notification was brought to his attention, Faiezul said: “Badruddin’s previous decision remains. He’ll not accept the award.”