Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday urged everybody to remain careful so that none can destroy the achievements and successes of the Bangali people saying the successes of the nation cannot be wiped out.

‘As a nation Bangali people have earned everything in exchange of huge sacrifice and struggle. We have to hold up these achievements and remain careful so that none can destroy these achievements,’ she said while distributing the Ekushey Padak 2017 at a function organized by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs at Osmani Memorial Hall in Dhaka.

Ekushey Padak, second highest civilian award of the country in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952, is given every year to individuals and organizations for substantial contribution in various fields including literature, music, education, journalism, poverty reduction, research, and visual arts.

This year seventeen eminent personalities were given the Ekushey Padak in recognition to their outstanding contribution in the fields of language movement, culture, journalism, research, education, science and technology and social welfare.

The award recipients are: Professor Dr Sharifa Khatun (language movement), Sushama Das (music), Julhas Uddin Ahmed (music), Ustad Ajijul Islam (music), Tanvir Mokammel (film), Syed Abdullah Khalid (sculpture), Sara Zaker (acting), Abul Momen (journalism), Syed Akram Hossain (research), Professor Emeritus Alamgir Mohammad Sirajuddin (education), Professor Zamilur Reza Choudhury (science and technology), Professor Dr. Mahmud Hasan (social welfare), poet Omar Ali (posthumously, language and literature), Sukumar Barua (language and literature), Swadesh Roy (journalism), Shamim Ara Nipa (choreography), and Rahmatullah Al Mahmud Selim (music).

Minister for Cultural Affairs Asaduzzaman Noor presided over the function while it was conducted by Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam.  Secretary in Charge of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Ministry Ibrahim Hossain Khan gave welcome address.

Cabinet members, PM’s advisors, judges, MPs, foreign diplomats, litterateurs, academics, Ekushey Award laureates of previous years and high civil and military officials attended the function.

Congratulating the Ekushey Padak recipients, the Prime Minster hoped that the award would inspire the future generation to do more great work for the people, who would learn from them and follow their footprint.