Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus conferred the prestigious Ekushey Padak upon 18 eminent personalities, including the SAFF-winning women’s football team, in recognition of their outstanding contributions across diverse fields.
At a special ceremony held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Thursday (20 February) at 11am, the recipients were presented with the award.
This year’s honourees include posthumous awards in film for Azizur Rahman, in music for Ustad Nirad Baran Barua, and in journalism for Mahfuz Ullah. Additionally, Ferdous Ara was recognised for her contributions to music, while Nasir Ali Mamun and Rokeya Sultana were awarded for their achievements in photography and fine arts, respectively.
In the domains of research and education, Moidul Hasan and Dr Niaz Zaman were honoured, while the field of science and technology saw accolades awarded to Mehedi Hasan Khan (team leader), Rifat Nabi (team), Md Tanbin Islam Siam (team), and Shabab Mustafa (team).
For their contributions to social work, Mohammad Yusuf Chowdhury (posthumous) was recognised, while in language and literature, posthumous awards were presented to Helal Hafiz and Shahidul Zahir (Md Shahidul Haque). In journalism and human rights, Mahmudur Rahman was acknowledged, while Dr Shahidul Alam received the award for his contributions to culture and education.
The Bangladesh national women’s football team was honoured in the sports category for their historic SAFF Championship victory.
Instituted in 1976 to commemorate the martyrs of the Language Movement, the Ekushey Padak remains one of the nation’s highest civilian honours. Each year, the government recognises distinguished figures in literature, the arts, education, journalism, research, and various other sectors for their exceptional contributions to national progress.
