Bangladesh has awarded the Ekushey Padak, the second highest civilian award in the country, to 24 recipients, including three scientists from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute.
The scientists were recognised for their contributions to innovations in the development of high-yielding rice varieties.
The list of 24 Ekushey Padak winners was announced in a notice from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs on Thursday, reports bdnews24.com.
Among the awardees, five received the award posthumously.
Four people received the award for contributions in the field of research. They are Dr MA Sattar Mandal, a former vice chancellor of Agricultural University, and the three BRRI researchers Dr Md Enamul Hoque, Dr Shahanaz Sultana and Dr Jannatul Ferdous.
Valiant language movement activists Mostafa M Matin and Mirza Tofazzal Hossain Mukul have received the award posthumously for their contributions to the Language Movement.
Nazrul Islam Babu and Khaled Mahmud Khan received the award posthumously for music and acting.
The award went to Zinnat Barkarullah for dance while Iqbal Ahmed and Mahmudur Rahman Benu were recognised for music. Afzal Hossain and Masum Aziz got the award for their acting.
Former diplomat Syed Moazzem Ali will be honoured posthumously for his contributions in the Liberation War alongside Alhaj Md Matiur Rahman, QABM Rahman and Amjad Ali Khandaker in the same category.
MA Malek will receive the award for journalism, while Prof Md Anwar Hossain, vice chancellor of Jashore University of Science and Technology, got his for science and technology, and Dr Goutam Buddha Das, vice chancellor of Chattogram University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, was recognised for education.
Lawyer SM Abraham Lincoln and Buddhist religious leader Dharmaguru Sangharaj Gyanashree Mahather have been honoured with the Ekushey Padak under the social service category. Poet Kamal Chowdhury and writer Jharna Das Purkayastha received the award in the Language and Literature category.
The winners of the award will get a gold medal weighing 35 grams, Tk 400,000 and a certificate.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will present the awards at an event on Feb 20.