Muhammad Ali Bukhari, CNMNG News

Toronto, March 22: Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize 2020. The award was announced by the Indian Ministry of Culture this Monday afternoon. It is evident that this award was given to Bangabandhu in recognition of his contribution to the social, economic and political transition of the country by liberating Bangladesh, inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.

The award was announced during the celebration of the centenary birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence. It is significant that Bangabandhu received this honour just before the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh. It is also a reflection of the progress of the relations between the two countries.

The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is the head of the juries for the Gandhi Peace Prize. Other members of the jury include Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Ram Subhag Singh, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla and Vindhyeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International Social Services. In last Friday’s meeting, the jury approved the names of the winners of 2020 as well as 2019 awards. In that case, the late Sultan bin Saeed Al Sayed of Oman received the 2019 award.

The prize money is Indian Rs 10 million. Besides, there are certificates and traditional handicraft items. It was introduced since 1995.

The past awardees include luminaries like Dr. Julius Nyerere, former President of Tanzania; Dr Gerhard Fischer, Federal Republic of Germany; Ramakrishna Mission, Baba Shri Murlidhar Devidas Amte, Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt and Indian Space Research Organisation; Late Dr Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Grameen Bank of Bangladesh.

Recent awardees include Indian Vivekananda Kendra in 2015, jointly Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International in 2016), Ekal Abhiyan Trust in 2017 and Yohei Sasakawa of Japan in 2018.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet on Bangabandhu’s birthday on March 16 that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is an ideal personality for all Indians. He is also a hero to the Indians. He was a defender of human rights and freedoms.

This time, while announcing the Gandhi Peace Prize, remembering Bangabandhu’s contribution, it has been said that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman laid the foundation of independent Bangladesh. He has stabilized the country. The foundation of good India-Bangladesh relations has been built on his ideals. Also, an atmosphere of peace and non-violence has been created in the subcontinent.