Ekushey Padak Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ekushey Padak

Presented by	Government of Bangladesh
Country	Bangladesh

The Ekushey Padak (which means "Twenty-first Award" in Bengali) is a very important award in Bangladesh. It is the second highest award a civilian can receive in the country. This special award was started in 1976 to remember the brave people who gave their lives for the Bengali Language Movement in 1952.

The Ekushey Padak recognizes people for their amazing work in many different areas. These areas include culture, education, and even economics. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs in Bangladesh is in charge of giving out this award every year.

The award itself is a beautiful 18-carat gold medal. It weighs about 3 tolas, which is a traditional unit of weight. The famous artist Nitun Kundu designed this medal. Along with the medal, winners also get a special certificate. The cash prize has increased over the years. It started at ৳ 25,000, then went up to ৳ 100,000 in 2015, ৳ 200,000 in 2017, and is now ৳ 400,000 as of November 2019.

Why is it called Ekushey Padak?
How are the awards given?
Different Fields of Award
Awards by decade
Images for kids
See also

Why is it called Ekushey Padak?

The name Ekushey is very meaningful for the people of Bangladesh. It refers to a very important date: 21 February 1952. On this day, students were protesting peacefully to make Bengali an official language in Pakistan. Sadly, police opened fire, and some students were killed.

This day is now remembered as Language Movement Day in Bangladesh. It is also celebrated worldwide as International Mother Language Day. The award's name honors the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for their language.

How are the awards given?

The process for choosing Ekushey Padak winners is very careful. Here's how it generally works:

Government offices, universities, and cultural groups are asked to suggest names of people who deserve the award.
Newspapers and websites also ask the public to nominate eligible individuals or organizations.
People who have won the Ekushey Padak or the higher Independence Day Award before can also suggest new nominees.
Those who nominate someone must write a short biography (about 350 words) about the person or organization they are suggesting.
A special committee reviews all the nominations and creates a first list of possible winners.
This list is then sent to the Prime Minister and a cabinet committee for their review and approval.
Once the Prime Minister approves, the names of the winners are announced in early February. This happens on radio, TV, and in newspapers.
Before the public announcement, the Ministry of Culture contacts the chosen winners to make sure they accept the award.
If someone refuses the award, their name is not included in the final list.
The President or Prime Minister of Bangladesh presents the Ekushey Padak to the winners in a special ceremony.

Different Fields of Award

The Ekushey Padak is given in many different fields to recognize various types of contributions.

Ekushey Padak in Art

The Ekushey Padak in Art recognizes amazing contributions to the arts in Bangladesh. This includes music, acting, dance, drama, and films. The first people to receive this award in art were Abdul Alim, Altaf Mahmud, Gul Mohammad Khan, Ferdousi Rahman, Zaheer Raihan, and Rashid Choudhury in 1977.

Ekushey Padak in Economy

This award is given to Bangladeshi citizens who have made special contributions to the country's economy. It was first introduced in 2013. The first person to receive the Ekushey Padak in Economy was Dr. Moynul Islam.

Ekushey Padak in Education

The Ekushey Padak in Education honors unique contributions to the education system in Bangladesh. In 1976, the first winners in this field were Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda and Muhammad Mansur Uddin.

Ekushey Padak in Journalism

This award recognizes important contributions to journalism in Bangladesh. The first people to receive the Ekushey Padak in Journalism in 1976 were Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah, Abul Kalam Shamsuddin, and Abdus Salam.

Ekushey Padak in Language Movement

This is one of the most important fields for the Ekushey Padak. It recognizes contributions to the Bangla Language Movement of 1952. In 2000, the award was given to the "Language Martyrs" who died for the language: Barkat, Jabbar, Salam, Rafiq, and Shafiur. Language soldier Gaziul Haque also received it.

Ekushey Padak in War of Liberation

This award recognizes contributions to Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971. It was first given in 2013 to Social Welfare Minister Enamul Haque Mostafa Shahid.

Ekushey Padak in Literature

The Ekushey Padak in Literature is given to people who have made unique contributions to Bengali literature. In 1976, the first winners in this field were famous writers like Kazi Nazrul Islam, Natyaguru Nurul Momen, Jasim Uddin, Abdul Quadir, and Sufia Kamal.

Ekushey Padak in Research

This award recognizes special contributions to Research in Bangladesh. The Ekushey Padak in Research was first given in 2003 to Abdul Mannan Syed.

Ekushey Padak in Science and Technology

The Government of Bangladesh gives this award to citizens who have made unique contributions in science and technology. It was first introduced in 2000. The first person to receive this award was Jamal Nazrul Islam.

Ekushey Padak in Social service

This award is given by the Government of Bangladesh to citizens who have made unique contributions through social service. It was first introduced in 2000. The first person to receive the Ekushey Padak in Social service was Mohiuddin Ahmed.

Awards by decade

Images for kids

Winners of Ekushey Padak 2014

Ekushey Padak facts for kids

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