Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday called on people to spread the spirit of the Language Movement among the new generation to face the enemies of independence and Ekushey.
"Those who deny the spirit of the Language Movement and the four pillars of independence are enemies of Ekushey and independence.
“To face them, the spirit of Ekushey will have to be spread among the new generation,” she said.
"That's why, the practice of Bangla language and literature will have to be reached to every sphere of the society and through this, we will build Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," she said.
The Prime Minister made the statements while handing over Ekushey Padak 2014 awards at the Osmani Memorial Hall this morning in Dhaka.
This year, the Ekushey Padak, one of the highest civilian awards of the country (introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement of 1952), was conferred upon 15 distinguished individuals for their outstanding contribution to their respective fields.
The recipients were: Shamsul Huda and the late Dr Badrul Alam for their part in the Language Movement; Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, Ramkanai Das, Keramat Mawla, and the late SM Solaiman for arts; Golam Sarwar for journalism; Professor Dr Enamul Haque for research; Dr Anupam Sen for education; Jamil Chowdhury, Belal Chowdhury, Rashid Haider, Biprodash Borua and the late Abdus Shakur for language and literature; and Professor Emeritus Dr. Mujibur Rahman for social services.
The award received a gold medal, a cheque for Tk100,000, and a certificate.
Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor presided over the function, while Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan conducted it.
Cultural Affairs Secretary Dr Ranjit Kumar Biswas delivered the welcome address and called out the names of the Ekushey Padak recipients.
The Prime Minister extended her best wishes to the Ekushey Padak awardees and said: "The awards given to you are recognition of your long practice, merit and hard labour. Many of those who were given awards are not alive. But the Bangali nation is ever grateful to them.
“Your responsibility to implement the spirit of Ekushey has increased further from today and it is our expectation that you would play a pioneering role in promoting Bangla language, literature and culture,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina called upon the writers and litterateurs to come forward and conduct research on the languages and literature of the ethnic communities side by side with Bangla language, alphabets and literature.
