This year, 13 persons and an institution for public service have been nominated for Swadhinata Padak, the country's highest civil award. The Cabinet Division took the decision yesterday (Monday). They include finance minister Abdul Maal Abdul Muhith for mobilising  public opinion abroad for the Liberation War and the Bangladesh Navy for its contribution in the Liberation War and defending the country’s Independence and sovereignty in the sea.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the award at a simple function at the Osmany Auditorium in the city on March 24.
The recipients also include the late Professor Dr Maqsudul Alam (posthumous) in the science and technology field. The eminent agricultural scientist uncovered the mystery of life cycle of jute. In the field of culture, well-known exponent of Tagore songs, Rezwana Chodhury Bannya, will be getting the award.
Finance minister AMA Muhith declared his allegiance to the Liberation Wartime Bangladesh government while working in the Pakistan Embassy in Washington and devoted himself to organising public opinion for the war abroad, the citation said.
A successful pilot of the supersonic F-6 aircraft and a prominen6t organiser of the Bangladesh Air Force in the post- Liberation War period, Squadron Leader (retd) Badrul Alam, Bir Uttam is another nominee for the Swadhinata Padak in the Liberation War category.
Besides, textile and jute minister Mohammad Imajuddin Pramanik has been nominated for the award in the Liberation War category for his role as an organiser at the training camp for freedom fighters, operation and refugee camp in India in 1971.
A successful politician, freedom fighter and social worker, Maulavi Achmat Ali Khan, and Shahid Shah Abdul Majid, who embraced martyrdom leading the resistance by policemen, repelling the attack on the police lines at Rajshahi as a Superintendent of Police in 1971, the then sub-divisional officer of Rangamati who embraced martyrdom, M Abdul Ali, for organising the Liberation War within the Pakistani Army. The late Abdur Rauf, who owed allegiance to the Bangladesh government in 1971 while working at the Pakistan High Commission in London and writing the first Constitution of Bangladesh.
KM Shehabuddin, who set up the first Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi after defecting to Bangladesh from the Pakistan High Commission there in 1971, Syed Hasan Imam, who  played a prominent role in carrying out cultural activities for the Liberation War, Abdus Salam, who played a leading role in obtaining recognition for Ekushey February as the international Mother Language Day, and the late Rafiqul Islam who also played a key role in it. In the field of medicine, the well-known child specialist, Dr Mohammad Rafi Khan (MR Khan), has been nominated.