The government has decided to confer the Independence Award 2025 on seven distinguished individuals in recognition of their outstanding contributions at the national level.
It has also revoked the decision to cancel the Independence Award previously given to former President Ziaur Rahman.
The Cabinet Division announced this in a notification on Tuesday.
The recipients of this year’s award are:
- Prof Jamal Nazrul Islam (posthumous) – Science and Technology, Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud (posthumous) – Literature
- Novera Ahmed (posthumous) – Culture
- Sir Fazle Hasan Abed (posthumous) – Social Service
- Mohammad Mahbubul Haque Khan, also known as Azam Khan (posthumous) – Liberation War and Culture
- Badruddin Mohammed Umar – Education and Research
- Abrar Fahad (posthumous) – Protesting youth
According to the Cabinet Division, the Independence Award conferred posthumously on Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman in 2003 was revoked in 2016 based on a Supreme Court ruling.
However, since the ruling did not specifically call for the cancellation of his award, and considering his exceptional contributions to the Liberation War, the government has now reversed the revocation.
Meanwhile, Badruddin Umar announced that he will not accept the Independence Award.
In a statement sent to the media on March 6, he shared this decision.
The statement read: "Since 1973, I have been offered awards from various government and private organizations. I have not accepted any of them. Now, the current interim government has announced that they will present me with the Independence Award. I thank them for this gesture. However, it is not possible for me to accept this award either."
The Independence Award is the highest state honor in the country.
Since 1977, the government has presented this award annually on March 26, marking Independence Day.
