Bangladesh is stronger, more enterprising and more creative than ever before, said Chief Adviser to the interim government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

He made the remarks after presenting the Ekushey Padak to 18 distinguished individuals and teams on Thursday (February 20) afternoon.

The Chief Adviser said, “I am overwhelmed and speechless. We are all overwhelmed with joy to honor the nation’s creative children. The women’s football team has honored our nation in a special way, for which we are grateful to them.”

He also said, “We have got a new Bangladesh through the uprising of the students and the masses on August 5 last year. Through this, an opportunity has come to build a new Bangladesh.”

Dr. Yunus said, “We know that Ekushey February is an ambitious memorial of self-identity. In this month of 1952, the student community stood up to protest the unjust decision imposed by the Pakistani rulers on the issue of the state language. "They established Bengali as the state language by pouring fresh blood on the streets of Dhaka. Through this language movement, an incredible awakening of our sense of freedom has been created."

The Ministry of Public Administration has sent 22 DCs who served as returning officers in the 2014 and 2018 national elections on compulsory retirement.

This information was confirmed by the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Dr. Md. Mokhles Ur Rahman, at the Secretariat on Thursday (February 20).

He said that four of the DCs who served as returning officers in the 2014 elections are now in service. The Ministry of Public Administration has issued a notification sending 18 more people, including these four, on compulsory retirement in 2018.

Earlier, on Wednesday, 33 Deputy Commissioners (DCs) who served as returning officers during the 2018 elections were made Officers on Special Duty (OSD). These 33 were working as joint secretaries in various ministries and departments. Earlier, 12 officers were also made OSD for the same reason.

In recognition of their outstanding contributions in various fields, 18 distinguished individuals, including the women's football team, were presented with the Ekushey Padak by the Chief Adviser to the interim government, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

He presented the medals at a special ceremony at the Osmany Memorial Auditorium in the capital at 11 am on Thursday (February 20).

This year's Ekushey Padak recipients are - Azizur Rahman (posthumous) in film, Ustad Nirad Baran Barua (posthumous) and Ferdous Ara in music, Nasir Ali Mamun in photography and Rokeya Sultana in painting. Mahfuz Ullah in journalism (posthumous), Moidul Hasan in research, and Dr. Niaz Zaman in education.

In addition, Mehdi Hasan Khan (team leader), Rifat Nabi (team member), Md. Tanbin Islam Siam (party) and Shabab Mustafa (party). Mohammad Yusuf Chowdhury (posthumous) in social service, Helal Hafiz (posthumous) and Shahidul Zahir (Md. Shahidul Haque) (posthumous) in language and literature. Mahmudur Rahman in journalism and human rights, Dr. Shahidul Alam in culture and education and the Bangladesh National Women's Football Team in sports.

Relevantly, the Ekushey Padak, launched in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement, is given by the government every year in recognition of special contributions in various fields. The Ekushey Padak has been given to the country's prominent writers, artists, educators, language soldiers, linguists, researchers, journalists, economists, personalities and institutions that have contributed to poverty alleviation at the national level in recognition of their unique contributions.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has called an emergency press conference and released the list of the four main leaders of the private university convening committee.

The press conference was organized at the central office of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at Bangla Motor at 10 pm on Wednesday (February 19). Rifat Rashid, executive member of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, announced the committee.

The committee was officially announced on the 16th of this month. M.J.H. Manju, a student of European University, is in the combined private university convening committee. He will serve as the convener. Atiq Shahria, a student of North South University, is the member secretary. Omar Faruk, a student of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology, has been made the main organizer and Sabina Yasmin, a student of ULAB University, has been made the spokesperson.

In a written statement at the press conference, Rifat Rashid said, "In the July mass uprising, more than 2,000 students of government, semi-government, private schools, colleges and madrasas, and countless workers and the public lost their lives. Fifty thousand people were injured. The countrymen are aware of the leading role of private universities in this fight to free the country from tyranny. We lost countless classmates, brothers and friends in the bloody July. Their sacrifice has made us pledge to remain uncompromising on the issue of the country and sovereignty.

Rifat said that the combined private universities of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will recognize Northern University's Shahid Asif as the first martyr and Southeast University as the university of the highest martyr on July 18 at 11:30 am. Naeem Abedin, a member of the central executive committee of the Anti-Discrimination Movement, said, "When the police were attacking RAB public universities everywhere, your Rampura Badda Uttaranchal and private university students in Sylhet and Chattogram." Sheikh Hasina kept the middle class and upper middle class away from politics, now they have learned to speak.

Zahid Ahsan, a central member of the platform, said, "Private universities did not only cooperate with us in July, they have cooperated before as well. The journey of private universities did not start with this movement, they have also cooperated with us politically before. We have found a new political community in the July mass uprising. One of them is the students of private universities. We have to keep these students of private universities in politics. Getting them involved in politics is one of our biggest responsibilities."