Dhaka, March 5 (IANS): Late finance minister Shah A.M.S. Kibria, matinee idol of yesteryears Abdur Razzak and professor emeritus Anisuzzaman were among eight people nominated for Bangladesh's highest civilian honour, the Independence Award.
The Cabinet Division on Wednesday released the list of nominees chosen for their contributions to the nation and during the 1971 Liberation War, bdnews24.com reported.
Kibria will be conferred with the award posthumously for expressing his allegiance to the Bangladesh government and creating pro-liberation opinions in the US when he headed the then Pakistan embassy in Washington in 1971.
Professor Mozaffar Ahmed, the only living member of the war-time Bangladesh government, will also receive the prestigious award.
The National Awami Party (NAP) chairman had formed a special guerrilla force in 1971 to fight against the Pakistan Army and its local collaborators.
Anisuzzaman will be awarded in recognition of his contribution to Bangla literature.
A professor emeritus in Bangla language and literature at Dhaka University, he fought for Bangladesh during the war of independence.
Actor Razzak, fondly called "Nayak Raj" (king of heroes), will be awarded for his role in the cultural arena.
Late commandant Manik Chowdhury will receive the honour for his contributions in conducting the war in Sylhet in 1971.
The government has selected Mamun Mahmud, Rajshahi range's former deputy inspector general of police, for the award for his allegiance to the Bangladesh government in 1971.
The award for research and training is going to Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute's former director general Mohammad Hossain Mandal.
Late journalist Santosh Gupta was recognised for his contribution to journalism.
Gupta actively joined the war of independence and all movements against communalism and for democracy.
The government every year names recipients ahead of Independence Day on March 26.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the awards at a ceremony in Dhaka's Osmani Memorial auditorium on March 25.
The award comes with gold medal, a certificate and 100,000 taka (about $1,250) in cash.