Khaleda Zia among 20 individuals, orgs to receive Independence Award

Fifteen individuals, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and five organisations have been named as recipients of the 2026 Independence Award – Bangladesh’s highest civilian honour – in recognition of their distinguished and meritorious contributions to the nation.

Md Humayun Kabir, deputy secretary at the Cabinet Division, issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday.

The awards are expected to be presented at a grand ceremony on 25 March, a day ahead of Independence Day.

The late prime minister and former BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, has been nominated for the posthumous award in recognition of her contributions to the struggle for independence, the promotion of democracy, the expansion of women’s education, and broader nation-building efforts.

The government has also nominated fourteen other eminent individuals, including six posthumous recipients. The posthumous awardees are: freedom fighter Major Mohammad Abdul Jalil in the Liberation War category; Kazi Fazlur Rahman in public administration; Dr Ashraf Siddiqui in literature; Bashir Ahmed in culture; and Zafrullah Chowdhury and Uttara jet crash victim Maherin Chowdhury in social work.

The living recipients are: Hanif Sanket in culture; Professor Jahurul Karim in science and technology; Md Saidul Haque in social work; Abdul Mukit Majumder in environmental conservation; and Mohammad Abdul Baki, Professor Dr MA Rahim and Professor Dr Sukomal Barua in the research and training category.

The five recipient organisations are: Faujdarhat Cadet College in the Liberation War category; Dhaka Medical College Hospital in medical science; Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) for rural development initiatives; and Gonoshasthaya Kendra and SOS Children’s Village International in Bangladesh for social welfare.