Language veteran and renowned cultural personality from Magura, Khan Ziaul Haque has been selected for the Naren Biswas Award 2012 for his outstanding innings in the cultural arena. The award has been instituted by Kanthashilan, a renowned recital organisation in Dhaka which accords recognition to a cultural personality annually.
Khan Ziaul Haque will receive a medal at a function held in memory of 'Bakshilpi' (elocutionist) Naren Biswas to mark his death anniversary at the Shawkat Osman Smriti auditorium in Dhaka on November 27.
Among the previous award recipients are renowned actor and reciter Golam Mustafa, elocutionist Nikhil Sen and president of Bangladesh Abritti Samannoy Parishad, Asaduzzaman Noor.
A dedicated teacher and a committed socio-cultural activist Khan Ziaul Haque was born in 1928 at his ancestral village in the Bhaina area in the district town.
During his student days in Bongaon of West Bengal in India and Jessore Zilla School in the country, he got involved in cultural activities.
He was elected the general secretary and later the vice-president of Jessore Michael Modhusudan College Students' Union.
In 1952, he was sent to jail for his active participation in the Language Movement.
Khan Ziaul Haque won the Silver Tiger Award in 2005 (the highest award in Bangladesh for scouting).
He was also awarded the National Social Work Award in 1988 by the Ministry of Social Welfare and also Harish Dutta Natya Padak in 2002 by Udichi Shilpi Goshthi.
A retired headmaster and founder of many educational and socio-cultural institutions in Magura Ziaul Haque while talking to The Daily Star said, "In the twilight of my life, I want to see people dedicated to bringing about positive changes in my beloved country and transforming our society into a better place.”