Poet Nirmalendu Goon has been nominated for the Independence Award after his outburst on social media over this year’s nominations.
On Mar 7, the government announced names of 14 individuals and the Bangladesh Navy as an institution for the awards. Goon, whose works have inspired Bengalis to fight for freedom from Pakistan, was irked at the government’s decision not to honour him with the award.
In a Facebook post on Mar 10, he questioned his classmate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ‘judgement’.
Goon and Hasina were classmates at Dhaka University’s Bangla Department. “The government has decided to honour Nirmalendu Goon with the Independence Award this year,” Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told bdnews24.com.
“Previously, 14 individuals and an organisation were nominated for the award. Nirmalendu Goon has been added to the list,” he said on Sunday. Goon told bdnews24.com that officials of the Cabinet Division and cultural affairs ministry have got in touch with him on Sunday.
“I had given a status update on Facebook over the matter. The prime minister took it seriously and acted on it. It was her personal efforts that made this happen. I thank her,” he said.
The Cabinet Division on Mar 7 announced the names of 14 persons chosen for the highest civilian award, which included, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, late scientist Maqsudul Alam and singer Rezwana Choudhury Bannya. The poet took to Facebook to vent his anger on Mar 10.
“Give me Independence Award”, “this time I feel insulted, agitated,” he said.
Addressing the prime minister in his post, Goon was blunt, “Correct your mistake if you can. Otherwise, give up any thought of conferring me the award later.”
