 Recipients of `Ekushey Padak' for 2012 pose with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the award giving ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city yesterday. Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad and State Minister for Cultural Affairs Advocate Promode Mankin were present. Photo: PMOPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged all to uphold the spirit of Amar Ekushey (the immortal 21st) and stay alert about those who opposed the Language Movement and the country's independence. "To face them, we will have to infuse the spirit of Ekushey into the new generation and practise Bangla language and literature in every sphere of society," she said while addressing the Ekushey Padak, 2012, one of the highest civilian award ceremony of the country, held in the city's Osmani Memorial Auditorium yesterday. Hasina also urged all to contribute to establishing a knowledge-based prosperous, peaceful and non-communal Bangladesh being inspired by the spirit of Amar Ekushey and the Sonar Bangla (Bengal of gold) dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The premier handed over the prestigious Ekushey Padak to 15 distinguished personalities for their remarkable contribution in different fields. Each recipient was honoured with a gold medal and Tk 1 lakh along with a citation. The award recipients are: Momtaz Begum (posthumous) for language movement; Mobinul Azim (posthumous), filmmaker Tareque Masud (posthumous), Dr Inamul Haque, Mamunur Rashid and Karunamoy Goswami for performing arts; Ehtesham Haidar Chowdhury (posthumous), Ashfaque Munier Chowdhury (posthumous) and Habibur Rahman Milon in journalism; Prof Ajay Kumar Roy, Dr Mansurur Alam Khan and Dr AK Nazmul Karim (posthumous) in education, Prof Baren Chakraborti in science and technology; Srimat Shuddhanand Mohathero for social work; and late Prof Dr Humayan Azad for language and literature. On the occasion, Hasina recalled the sacrifice of language martyrs Salam, Barkat, Rafique, Jabbar, Shafiur and others. She also reminisced about the role of her father Bangabandhu as he had been imprisoned several times while leading the movement. She said the language movement was the result of non-communal spirit of Bangalees and inspired by that Bangabandhu in 1972 adopted secularism as one of the main principles in the constitution. The premier alleged that after 1975, military government had rehabilitated anti-liberation forces in the country betraying the spirit of Ekushey February and mutilated the constitution. "We have restored the glorious history through the (15th) amendment to the constitution," she added. Hasina said Bangabandhu delivered his speech in Bangla at the United Nations in 1974 to uphold Bangla and Bangalee tradition in the world arena. "I followed this legacy and also gave my speech at the UN General Assembly in Bangla," she added. The premier said the government from this month has made installation of full-fledged Bangla keypad in basic mobile handsets of all brands mandatory. Initiatives have also been taken to formulate the second country coded internet domain "dotbangla" alongside the existing "dotbd" (.bd). She said her government has established the International Mother Language Institute enacting the International Mother Language Act for preservation and researches on the languages of different ethnic people of the world. Efforts are underway for the recognition of Bangla as an official language at the UN. A proposal has been placed before the UN General Assembly in this regard, said Hasina, adding, "The illustrious melody on Amar Ekushey February has now spread to 193 countries." Share on  No Related Topics found.
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