On Tuesday, March 25, at a ceremony held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, Interim Government Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus presented the Independence Award 2025, the highest civilian honor in Bangladesh, to eight distinguished individuals in recognition of their remarkable contributions to the nation.

This year, seven individuals were honored with the prestigious award, six of whom received it posthumously. Their family members accepted the awards on their behalf. The only living awardee, Badruddin Mohammad Umar, had previously declined the honor, citing his lifelong principle of not accepting awards. The government respected his decision, announcing that a replica of his award would be displayed at the National Museum.

Earlier, on March 11, the Cabinet Division officially announced the list of recipients through a government notification.

The awardees for 2025 are:

Prof. Jamal Nazrul Islam (Posthumous) – Science and Technology

Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud (Posthumous) – Literature

Novera Ahmed (Posthumous) – Arts and Culture

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed (Posthumous) – Social Service

Mohammad Mahbubul Haque Khan (Azam Khan) (Posthumous) – Liberation War & Culture

Badruddin Mohammad Umar – Education & Research

Abrar Fahad (Posthumous) – Youth Activism

The event was moderated by Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid, who emphasized that the Independence Award is given annually to honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions in various fields, upholding the legacy of those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence. Established in 1977, the award has been conferred on 324 individuals and 32 institutions until 2024.