20/02/2025
আপনার প্রাপ্তিতে আমরা গর্বিত। Shahidul Alam শ্রদ্ধা জানাবেন।আমরা কৃতজ্ঞ ও আপনার মঙ্গল কামনা করছি।
Today, Dr Shahidul Alam, our dearest and respected comrade, colleague, and mentor, was awarded the second highest civilian award in the country, the Ekushey Padak 2025. The Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, presented the Ekushey Padak to the recipients at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. The national women’s football team, the team behind the Bengali keyboard Avro, photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, and Dr. Shahidul Alam were among the 15 awardees this year.
Dr Alam received the honour for his contributions in the sector of culture and education. In his brief speech, he said, "Nice words were said about me. I’m a dissident, I have criticised earlier governments, constructively. I have also been critical of this government. I have directly offered my criticism to the Chief Adviser. The case against me still hangs over my head, that a person who is an accused, who is critical of the government, can be chosen for a state award, gives me hope.
"Those words about me were beautiful but do we really know how to show respect towards common people? To keep an eye out for them? Much depends on that. I rode over to receive my award on my bicycle, I always ride my cycle, but I was stopped at the gate. According to the rules here, cars can enter the gates but not cycles. These rules still hold. Discrimination and inequality persist. We need to fight against these, we need to keep fighting.
"Some other things need to be said. We were asked [during the rehearsal yesterday] to not offer thanks or express our gratitude. But I must, because I would not have been able to achieve whatever I have if it wasn’t for my family, friends and my fellow warriors. I have reached here because all of us have collectively struggled together. A few more words need to be said. Our women footballers will receive their Ekushey Padak soon. But what will happen tomorrow when they go to the field, will they be able to play? And if not, who will join in the protests? I don’t think we can say that with any certainty now. I’ve spoken of the women footballers. The language for which Salam and Barkat sacrificed their lives was our mother tongue, but what opportunities are given to those who speak in a different tongue in this independent nation of ours. This is also something we need to think about.
Students, both men and women, led the July uprising but ordinary people joined in, rikshawalas, tokais, very ordinary people gave their lives, and it is because of them that we are here now. If this Bangladesh is truly not for all of them, then the different Bangladesh that we had longed for, a discrimination-free Bangladesh, will live in words only, but not in reality."
CONGRATULATIONS, ALAM BHAI.
Photo: Habibul Haque/Drik
