Asansol (West Bengal), May 26 (IANS): Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on Saturday conferred the honorary Doctorate of Literature degree by the Kazi Nazrul University here.

University Vice Chancellor Sadhan Chakrabarti handed out the degree to Sheikh Hasina at a special convocation, in which a number of ministers of her cabinet, and West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, were present.

The vice chancellor, who presided over the function in the absence of the indisposed chancellor -- Governor K.N. Tripathi -- said the Bangladesh Prime Minister was honoured in recognition of her outstanding contribution towards building a democratic society free from exploitation and disparity, for empowering women, alleviating poverty and promoting socio-economic development, which were the ideals of poet Kazi Nazrul islam.

Bangladesh Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Hasina's advisers H.T. Imam, Gowher Rizvi and Tawfiq-e-Elahi as well as other education, cultural and political officials were among those who graced the special convocation of the university in Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal.

Hasina was honoured on a day West Bengal is celebrating the 119th birthday of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam - also the national poet of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh had celebrated the poet's birthday on Friday.