'State honors distinguished individuals for its own need'

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said that the state honors distinguished and knowledgeable people for its own necessity.

''A nation becomes more enlightened in prosperity and moral standards as the number of accomplished individuals in society continues to grow.''

PM Tarique Rahman made the remarks while addressing the Ekushey Padak-2026 distribution ceremony at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Thursday morning.

"The current democratic government will work to establish a liberal democratic state system with moral standards and dignity so that the country can move forward in all branches of knowledge and science, including education, literature, arts, science and technology."

Although politicians are entrusted with the responsibility of running the state, he said that as a political worker he believed that learned and distinguished individuals play a guiding role.
The greater the number of accomplished people in a state and society, the more enlightened that society becomes in terms of prosperity and moral standards, the premier added.

Therefore, the state honors learned and distinguished individuals for its own need, he said, adding, from this realization, the proclaimer of independence Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had introduced the Ekushey Padak for the first time in independent Bangladesh.

Noting that the Ekushey Padak is not merely a medal, the Prime Minister said through this award, from the 1952 Language Movement to the present, the historical events of Bangladesh are remembered.