The government will review the decision to confer the Swadhinata Purashkar (Independence Award) on Amir Hamza posthumously for his contribution to literature after his selection raised eyebrows.
Reports about his controversial background kept surfacing after the government announced the winners of this year’s Independence Awards on Tuesday ahead of March 26 Independence Day.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, who heads the cabinet committee on national awards, said on Thursday that the committee would look into the reports about Hamza, reports bdnews24.com.
bdnews24.com found three books by Hamza – ‘Bagher Thaba’, ‘Prithibir Manchitre Ekti Mujib Tumi’, and ‘Ekusher Panchali’.
In his birthplace Magura, many knew him as a ballad singer. Locals said Hamza worked for the Awami League during election campaign.
But reports emerged that Hamza was a key suspect in a murder case of 1978. He was sentenced to life in prison but later acquitted on “political grounds”.
Amir Hamza. Photo source: bdnews24.com
Hamza’s son Asaduzzaman is a government official working as the chief executive of Khulna district council.
Media reports claimed Asaduzzaman lobbied for Hamza’s selection for the Independence Award, the highest civilian honour of Bangladesh.
Mozammel said he was aware of the reports and eminent citizens’ comments on the government decision. “I'll check the allegations, such as murder. I'll also check if he has any literary works.”
This is not the first time government choice for the award has been called into question.
Many litterateurs had expressed surprise on seeing the name of writer SM Rois Uddin, a retired government official, on the list of the winners of the highest civilian award in 2020. He was not much known in contemporary literature.
The authorities dropped his name following criticisms. The entire episode hurt Rois Uddin as well. “Why did they give me [the award], and why have they taken it away?” he had asked.