Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has handed over "Swadhinata Purashkar-2022" (Independence Award-2022), the highest national civil award of the country, to nine distinguished persons and two organisations, BSS reports.
She distributed the award in person in a ceremony held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) at Tejgaon in Dhaka city on Thursday.
The Prime Minister handed over the award to the two living freedom fighters, Sirajuddin Ahmed and Abdul Jalil, after coming down from the stage.
She later took part in a photo session with the recipients.
The award recipients received this recognition for their glorious and outstanding contribution to their respective fields.
Among the recipients, Valiant Freedom Fighter Ilias Ahmed Chowdhury, Martyr Colonel Khandaker Nazmul Huda (Bir Bikram), Abdul Jalil, Siraj Uddin Ahmed, late Mohammad Sahiuddin Bishwas and late Sirajul Haque have been nominated for the award in the "Independence and Liberation War" category.
Besided, Professor Kanak Kanti Barua and Professor Md Kamrul Islam have been given the award in the "Medical" category while late architect Syed Moinul Hossain has been nominated in the "Architecture" category.
In Addition, the Power Division has given the award for their success for bringing Bangladesh under cent percent electricity coverage while Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute has been provided the award in the 'Research and Training' category.
Each award recipient received a gold medal, a certificate and a cheque of honorarium.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque was present at the function.
Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam moderated the function and read out the citations with brief life sketch of the recipients.
Of the recipients, Professor Kanak Kanti Barua has expressed his feeling on the occasion.
The government has finalized the names of 10 noted personalities and one institution for Independence Award-2022 for their glorious and remarkable contributions to the national level on March 15 last.
Later, the name of Amir Hamza who was nominated for the award in literature category, had been dropped amidst controversy.
While the name of Power Division has been nominated for the Independence Award-2022 on Wednesday for its contribution to bring Bangladesh under cent percent electricity coverage and thus help boosting the country's socio-economic development.
The government has been giving this award every year since 1977 on the occasion of Independence Day on March 26.