PM hands over Swadhinata Purashkar-2024 to 10 individuals

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over “Swadhinata Purashkar-2024” (Independence Award-2024), the highest national civil award of the country, to 10 distinguished persons in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the country.

She gave away the award among the recipients at a ceremony at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium here on Monday (March 25) morning.

Valiant freedom fighters Kazi Abdur Sattar, Bir Pratik, Flight Sergeant Md Fazlul Haque (posthumous) and Shaheed Abu Nayeem Md Najib Uddin Khan (Khurram) (posthumous) got the award in the ‘Independence and Liberation War’ category.

Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan was awarded in the science and technology category, while Dr Harishankar Dash in medical category, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman in cultural category, Firoza Khatun in sports, and Aronno Chiran, valiant freedom fighter Prof. Dr. Mollah Obayedullah Baki and SM Abraham Lincoln in social services category.

Of the award recipients, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman expressed his feeling on the occasion.

Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain moderated the function and read out the citations with brief life sketch of the award recipients.

The Cabinet Division earlier on March 15 announced the names of the Independence Award recipients.

Each awardee received a gold medal, a certificate and a cheque of honorarium.

Bangladesh has been honouring individuals and institutions with the award every year ahead of Independence Day on March 26 since 1977.