Raij Uddin's name dropped from Independence Award list

The name of SM Raij Uddin Ahmed has been dropped from the list of Swadhinata Padak 2020 (Independence Award) recipients, reports UNB.

The government published a revised list on Thursday dropping his name.

Earlier, Raij Uddin was picked for the prestigious award in the literature category.

On 20 February, the government chose nine personalities and an organisation for the Swadhinata Padak 2020, the highest state award, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the awards to them at a function in Dhaka on 25 March.

The recipients are jute and textiles minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, commander Abdur Rouf (posthumous), Md Anwar Pasha (posthumous) and Azizur Rahman for Independence and Liberation War, professor Md Obaidul Kabir Chowdhury and Prof AKMA Muqtadir for medical science, Kalipada Das and Ferdousi Mazumder for culture and Bharateswari Homes for education.

Since 1977, Bangladesh honours individuals and institutions with the award every year ahead of the Independence Day.