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Published : 08 Feb 2015, 06:22 PM
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs on Sunday named Huda and 14 other personalities for the honour.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand one of Bangladesh’s highest civilian awards at Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Feb 19.
Huda dedicated the award to his mother, who expired recently, language martyrs, freedom fighters and the nation's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He has been recognised for his body of work on language and literature.
The other eminent personality to be awarded in the same category is ‘environment-lover’ Professor Dr Dwijen Sharma.
Piaru Sarder will be honoured posthumously for his role in the Language Movement.
Rajshahi University Professor Dr Majibar Rahman has been chosen for his role in the Liberation War.
Rahman was tortured by the Pakistan Army during the Liberation War by calling himself ‘Debdas’, a predominantly Hindu name, in protest against their oppression on the Bengalis.
SA Abul Hayat, ATM Shamsuzzaman and late Abdur Rahman Bayati will receive the honour for their contribution to arts.
The others selected for the awards are Professor MA Mannan and Sanat Kumar Saha in education, Abul Kalam Md Zakaria in research, Kamal Lohani in journalism, Faridur Reza Sagar of ‘Channel I’ in mass media, and Jharna Dhara Chowdhury, Srimat Satyapriyo Mahathero and Professor Arupratan Chowdhury in social welfare.
Each recipient will be given a gold medal, a citation, and Tk 100,000 in cash.
In his immediate reaction, Nurul Huda told bdnews24.com Ekushey Padak was ‘the best award for a Bengali writer, for a national of Bangladesh’.
“In my life, I’ve pursued literary works, creativity, poetry and human beauties. I’m happy to have received this recognition for the efforts,” he said by telephone from Cox’s Bazar, his birthplace.
Huda said: “My joy cones with a tinge of sorrow. My mother expired only four days ago. Mother, soil and motherland are the same.”
“I wish to dedicate this honour to my late mother, the Language Movement martyrs, and freedom fighters including the greatest Bengali of a thousand years Bangabandhu,” he added.
Huda, 66, had earlier received Bangla Academy Award, Poet Ahsan Habib Poetry Award, Alaol Award, Sukanta Award and Cox’s Bazar Sahitya Academy Award for his literary works.
The Turkish government honoured him in 1997 in recognition of his contribution to literature.
