Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the Independence Award 2015, the highest state award, to seven eminent personalities of the country in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

The Prime Minister formally handed over the awards at a function in Dhaka’s Osmany Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday morning.

The nominations for the Independence Award 2015 are Commandant Manik Chowdhury (posthumously) who played a special role in conducting the Liberation War in greater Sylhet, Mamun Mahmud (posthumously) who was killed by occupation Pakistani army for extending cooperation to freedom fighters while working as DIG of Rajshahi range in 1971, former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria (posthumously) who expressed his allegiance to the Bangladesh government while working at the Pakistan’s embassy in Washington in 1971 and mobilized public opinion in favour of the Independence War, Professor Anisuzzaman, noted literary personality and educationist, for his outstanding contribution to literature, renowned film actor Abdur Razzak for culture, Dr Mohammad Hossain Mandol, renowned agricultural researcher and former director general of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, for his contribution to research and training and renowned journalist Santosh Gupta (posthumously) for his contribution to journalism.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Musharraf Hussain Bhuiyan conducted the function and read out the citation of the Independence Award recipients with their brief life sketch.

Chief Justice, ministers, advisers to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, judges, parliament members, chiefs of three services, diplomats, vice-chancellors of different universities and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.