Ferdousi Majumdar and Kalipada Das receive Independence Award 2020

The Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) is the highest state award given by Bangladeshi government every year, since 1977.

Individuals and organisations are honoured from different sectors of the country in recognition of their outstanding contributions in their respective fields.

This year, eminent thespian Ferdousi Majumdar and esteemed singer Ustad Kalipada Das from the cultural sector were among the eight prominent personalities and one organisation to get this year's Swadhinata Padak.

"I am grateful to everyone who supported me to reach this point of my career – especially the people associated with theatre and television" says Ferdousi Majumdar. "I came from a conservative family, so for me, it was a huge challenge to get where I am today. This award is the greatest achievement one could have!"

She also shared that when the award was announced in February, there was much excitement. However, the pandemic has taken so many lives, including the actor's closed ones, that it diluted the joy.

AKM Mozammel Haque, on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the prestigious award to the recipients and their relatives at a ceremony conferred at the Capital's Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Thursday (October 29).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the event virtually from her official residence at Gono Bhaban.

The other awardees are Jute and Textiles Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, Commander Abdur Rouf (posthumous), martyred intellectual and novelist Md Anwar Pasha (posthumous) and Azizur Rahman for Independence and Liberation War; Prof Dr Md Obaidul Kabir Chowdhury and Prof Dr AKMA Muqtadir for medical science; and Bharateswari Homes, a boarding school for girls in Mirzapur, Tangail, for education.