Eight distinguished personalities and an organisation have received this year’s Independence Award (Swadhinata Padak), the country’s highest state honour, in recognition of their glorious and outstanding contribution to the nation.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the awards at a function held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital where the premier took part in the event through video conference from Ganabhaban on Thursday.

The recipients are: Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi (Bir Pratik), late Commander (Retd.) Abdur Rauf, late Muhammad Anwar Pasha and Azizur Rahman in independence and Liberation War, Professor Dr Md Ubaydul Kabir Chowdhury and Professor Dr AKMA Muktadir in Medical Science, Kalipada Das and Ferdousi Majumdar in culture and Bharateswari Homes, a boarding school for girls located in Mirzapur under Tangail district, in education category.

On behalf of the prime minister, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque handed over the Independence Award 2020 to the recipients.

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam moderated the function and read out the citations with brief life sketch of the recipients.

Of the recipients, Azizur Rahman had recently died of Covid-19.

Each award recipient was awarded with a gold medal weighing 50 grams of gold of 18 karat, a certificate and Tk 500,000.

Since 1977, Bangladesh has honoured individuals and institutions with the award every year ahead of Independence Day on March 26.

BDST: 1155 HRS, OCT 29, 2020
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