Ekushey Padak

Ekushey Padak is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of those killed by Pakistani authorities in the Bengali language movement of 1952. It is given in fields including culture, education, and economics. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs administers the award.

The award consists of an 18-carat gold medal weighing 3 tolas, a certificate of honour and a cash award. The medal was designed by the artist Nitun Kundu. The amount of the cash reward was originally ৳ 25,000, but it was increased to ৳ 100,000 in 2015, to ৳ 200,000 in 2017 and to ৳ 400,000 as of November 2019.

Cabinet ministries and prior winners submit nominees, and the National Committee on Citizenship and Cultural Affairs chooses finalists, of whom those approved by the prime minister receive the award.

The name Ekushey refers to 21 February 1952, commemorated as Language Movement Day and International Mother Language Day, when students campaigning for official status of the Bengali language within Pakistan were killed by law enforcement.