by Staff Correspondent in Dhaka;

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has handed the Sheikh Kamal National Sports Council Award, named after her brother, among its recipients, marking his 72^nd birth anniversary.

Ten persons, including sportsmen, writers, journalist and organizers, and two organizations received the prestigious award for the first time at a ceremony in Dhaka on Thursday.

The Prime Minister joined the award-giving ceremony as the chief guest through video conferencing at Shaheed Sheikh Kamal Auditorium in NSC Tower from her official Ganabhaban residence here.

Senior Secretary of the Youth and Sports Ministry Akhter Hossain handed over the award, that comes with 100,000 takas, a crest and a certificate, to the recipients in behalf of the Prime Minister.

Kazi M Salahuddin received Sheikh Kamal Lifetime Achievement Award. The other recipients in sports arena are Ruman Shana (archery), Mahfuza Khatun Shila (swimming) and Mabia Akhter Simanta (weightlifting) got the award.

Sportsmen Akbar Ali (cricket), Fahad Rahman (chess), and Unnoti Khatun (football) have been given the award beside the organizers: Monjur Kader (Sheikh Jamal DC) and Kyaw Shwe Hla (karate). Journalist Mohammad Quamruzzaman is a recipient of the award. Bangladesh Cricket Board and Walton also received the award.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her younger brother Sheikh Kamal had made extensive contributions in the country’s culture and sports arenas.

She said, Kamal was actively involved in student politics and he used to take part in each of the movements and processions since he was a student of Dhaka College and he later continued it after getting admitted to the Dhaka University.   

Kamal would have done much more for the country if he remained alive, she said. Kamal, the eldest son of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was assassinated on August 15 when a group of disgruntled army officers carried out the carnage to kill Bangabandhu and his family in Dhaka.

Kamal used to sing songs, play the sitar and had a band, “Spondon Shilpa Gosthi” with whom he made popular the local folk songs using modern equipment, said the Prime Minister.

Kamal was born on August 5 in 1949 at Tungipara of Gopalganj. He was a former executive member of the central committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of Awami League.

Kamal was not only the founder of Abahani Krira Chakra, he was also a founder-member of Dhaka Theatre. He was well known as an actor in the Dhaka University’s drama arena. Kamal was enthusiastic about different sports including football, cricket, hockey and basket-ball.

Kamal was commissioned in the Muktibahini after receiving training from first war course in the independent Bangladesh and served as ADC of General MAG Osmani, the commander-in-chief of the Liberation War in 1971.

After the country’s independence, Kamal went to retirement from the army and paid attention to his study.  He was a Master’s (final year) examinee and a member of the Jatiya Chhatra League central committee, a wing of Bangladesh Krishak, Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL), when he embraced martyrdom on August 15 in 1975 at the age of 26.

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