Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday distributed Ekushey Padak-2015 among 15 eminent persons for their contribution to their respective fields.
She formally handed over the Ekushey Padak, a prestigious award introduced in the memory of martyrs of 1952 language movement, at a function at Osmani Memorial auditorium in Dhaka city.
The Ekushey Padak recipients are: Piaru Sardar for Language Movement (posthumous), Professor M Mujibur Rahman Devdas for the War of Independence, Professor Dwijen Sharma for language and literature, Muhammad Nurul Huda for language and literature, Abdur Rahman Boyati for art and culture (posthumous), SA Abul Hayat for art and culture, ATM Shamsuzzaman for art and culture, Professor MA Mannan for education, Sanat Kumar Saha for education, Abul Kalam Mohammad Zakaria for research, Kamal Lohani for journalism, Faridur Reza Sagar for mass media, Jharna Dhara Chowdhury for social service, Srimat Satyapriyo Mohathero for social service and Professor Dr Arup Ratan Chowdhury for social service.
Each Padak (award) carries a cheque of Tk 100,000, a crest and citation.
Cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor presided over the Padak distribution ceremony, organised by the cultural affairs ministry.
Cultural affairs secretary Dr Ranjit Kumar Biswas delivered the welcome address, while cabinet secretary Md Musharraf Hussain Bhuiyan conducted the function and read out the citation of the Ekushey Padak recipients with their brief life sketch.
Ministers, advisers to the prime minister, the leader of the opposition in parliament, judges, members of parliament, Jatiya Party chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad, chiefs of three services, diplomats, vice-chancellors of different universities and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.