Chief Advisor Yunus presents 2025 Independence Awards

Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor to the interim government, has presented the Independence Award – the country’s highest civilian honour – for 2025.

Recipients recognised for their meritorious contributions to the nation this year include pop king Azam Khan, BRAC founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, and BUET student Abrar Fahad.

Six of the seven named for the award this year are getting the honour posthumously.

The recipients include Prof Jamal Nazrul Islam in the Science and Technology category, Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud in Literature, Novera Ahmed in Culture, Sir Fazle Hasan in Social Service, and Mohammad Mahbubul Haque Khan, aka Azam Khan in Liberation War and Culture.

Writer and intellectual Badruddin Umar, the only living nominee, has declined the award in the Education and Research category.

Abrar, a student tortured to death by Chhatra League activists six years ago, received the award under the new “Protesting Youth” category.

Jamal’s daughter Sadaf Sad Siddiqi accepted the award on behalf of her father, while Al Mahmud’s daughter Begum Atia Mir, Fazle Hasan’s son Shameran Abed, Azam Khan’s daughter Arani Khan, and Abrar’s mother Rokeya Khatun accepted the awards on their behalf.

Novera’s award will be presented to her family through the Bangladeshi Embassy in Paris.

The government has recognised Badruddin’s decision to decline the award and has not created a separate medal for him. However, a replica of the award will still be kept at the National Museum, according to Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid, who presided over the event.

Since 1977, Bangladesh has presented the Independence Award each year ahead of Independence Day on Mar 26.

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