Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday said that the country鈥檚 young generation wanted to lead the world apart from building a new Bangladesh.
鈥榃e are now stronger, more energetic and more creative than ever before. The dreams of our young generation are more courageous than the dreams of any generation in the past,鈥� he said at the award distribution function at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.
The CA conferred the Ekushey Padak upon 13 eminent citizens, a four-member team of Avro keyboard, and Bangladesh Women鈥檚 National Football Team.
Eminent fiction writer Shahidul Zahir and poet Helal Hafiz were named posthumously for their contributions in language and literature.聽
In the field of arts and culture, the awarded persons included Azizur Rahman, posthumously, for film, Ustad Nirad Baran Barua, posthumously, for music, Ferdous Ara for music, Nasir Ali Mamun for photography and Rokeya Sultana for painting.
Mahfuz Ullah, posthumously, and Mahmudur Rahman were named for the award for their contributions in journalism and human rights.
Shahidul Alam was named for contributions in the fields of culture and education, Niaz Zaman for education and Mohammad Yusuf Chowdhury, posthumously, for social service.
Meanwhile, Moidul Hasan was awarded the country鈥檚 second highest civilian award for research.
Yunus also said that the way they wanted to create a new Bangladesh, they wanted to create a new world with the same confidence. 鈥楾hey want to take the lead in creating a new world. They are ready to lead. Boys are ready, girls are ready.鈥�
He also mentioned that the country鈥檚 new generation wanted to build a 鈥榥ew civilisation of their dreams鈥� by breaking the shackles of a self-destructive civilisation.
The main goal of their civilisation will be to ensure equal rights of every person to all the resources of the world, to ensure that all have opportunity to dream and realise it, to develop human life in such a way that the existence of the world and the living of all lives are not disturbed in any way, mentioned the CA.
Congratulating the Ekushey Padak winners, he said that the nation was particularly grateful to the recipients as they were the guides of the nation.
鈥業nspired by your contribution, the nation is firmly hoped to be established in a continuous better position in assemblies of the United Nations,鈥� he said.
Recalling the contribution of the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in the Language Movement, War of Independence and July-August student-led mass uprising and the injured of the uprising, he said, 鈥楢n opportunity has come before all to build a new Bangladesh.鈥�
About the significance of Amar Ekushey, the chief adviser said that amid the changing circumstances in the country, this year鈥檚 Amar Ekushey had come before all with a new significance.
He termed the Ekushey February an everlasting record of Bengali self-identity. 鈥業n February, 1952, the students stood up against the unjust decision imposed by the then Pakistani rulers on the issue of the state language.鈥�
They established Bangla as the state language by pouring their fresh blood on the Dhaka鈥檚 streets, Yunus said, adding that an incredible awakening of Bengali sense of self-governance was created through the Language Movement.
Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, cabinet secretary Sheikh Abdur Roshid and cultural affairs secretary (routine duties) Md Mofidur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
