Veteran litterateur Rabeya Khatun and young writer Sadat Hossain were recognised this year’s ‘Exim Bank-Anyadin Humayun Ahmed Sahitya Puruskar 2019’ (Exim Bank-Anyadin Humayun Ahmed Literary Award).

The award ceremony was held at Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium of Bangla Academy in the capital on Tuesday.

Presided over by National Professor Anisuzzaman, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and former Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor handed over the awards to the recipients at the programme. Humayun Ahmed’s wife Meher Afroz Shaon, writer’s brothers Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and Ahsan Habib, and Anyadin Editor Mazharul Islam, among others, were also present at the event.

Rabeya Khatun was bestowed with the lifetime achievement award in recognition of her contribution to the field of literature, while Sadat Hossain was awarded in the young litterateur category for his novel ‘Nishanga Nakkhatra’.

Rabeya Khatun received Tk 5 lakh and Sadat Hossain received Tk 1 lakh and crests.

After the death of Humayun Ahmed, Exim Bank and fortnightly magazine Anaydin jointly introduced the ‘Exim Bank-Anyadin Humayun Ahmed Sahitya Puruskar’ to recognise two writers every year and the award ceremony held on November 12, the day before Humayun’s birthday.