Independence Day Award
| Independence Day Award (Bengali: স্বাধীনতা দিবস পুরস্কার) | |
|---|---|
 The gold medal | |
| Awarded for | recognition of substantial contribution to any fields in national life. |
| Location | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Country |
 Bangladesh |
| Presented by | Government of Bangladesh |
| First awarded | 1977 |
| Last awarded | 2013 |
The Independence Day Award (Bengali: স্বাধীনতা পদক),[1] also termed Independence Award (Bengali: স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh.[2] Introduced in 1977, this award is bestowed upon Bangladeshi citizens or organizations in recognition of substantial contribution to one of many fields, including the War of Liberation, the language movement, education, literature, journalism, public service, science and technology, medical science, social science, song, games and sports, fine arts, rural development, and other areas.
Each awardee receives a gold medal, a certificate of honour, and a sum of cash.[2] The amount of the cash reward was originally taka 20 thousand,[3] but was subsequently increased to taka one lac (.10 million in Bangladeshi currency) in 2004.[3] A cabinet committee on national awards prepares the list of each year's nominees and forwards the list to the head of the government for final approval.[4] The award is traditionally presented on the eve of Independence day in Bangladesh at a much publicized ceremony attended by several cabinet and parliament members and distinguished society guests.
In 2006, the award generated some controversy as the initial list was not accepted by the Prime Minister.[4] Furthermore, the award to the Rapid Action Battalion was criticized by many[5] because of RAB's alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings.
Awards by decade
- Independence Day Awards (1977–1979)
- Independence Day Awards (1980–1989)
- Independence Day Awards (1990–1999)
- Independence Day Awards (2000–2009)
- Independence Day Awards (2010–2019)
References
- ↑ Independence Day Award, Cabinet Division, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Khan, Sanjida (2003). "National Awards". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Booklet of Independence Award 2007. Cabinet Division. Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. pp. 1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Staff Correspondent (2005-03-14). "Rab, Betar on revised list of nominees". The Daily Star. Vol 5 Num 637. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
- ↑ BD News (2006-04-01). "SC Bar demands judicial probe into 'crossfire' killings in "Law and our Rights"". The Daily Star. issue 232. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
External links
- List of awardees, Cabinet Division, Bangladesh Government