Prominent Bangladeshi singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya received the prestigious Padma Shri Award from the Indian government on Monday (April 22, 2024). Indian President Droupadi Murmu presented the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri Awards for the year 2024 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The Vice President of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Minister, and other dignitaries were present. Read more: Sadi Mohammad laid to eternal rest at Mohammadpur Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian awards in India, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.The awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activity, viz., art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, among others.

Ekushey Padak winning Rabindra Sangeet singer Mita Haque passed away at a hospital in Dhaka on Sunday (April 11, 2021), after losing her battle with Covid-19. She was 59. The singer breathed her last at 6:20 am. According to her family sources, Haque tested positive for Covid-19 on March 25 and was admitted to Bangladesh Specialized Hospital on March 31. Also read: Noted singer Jane Alam passes away However, she tested negative a few days later and returned home from the hospital. On Saturday night, her blood pressure fell down and she was rushed to the hospital again where doctors informed that she had suffered a heart attack. She was then kept on ventilation before eventually losing her battle with illness. Haque was also suffering from kidney disease and used to undergo dialysis on a regular basis. Her body will be taken to Chhayanaut at 11 am where her colleagues, students and admirers will pay last respect to the Rabindra Sangeet legend. Also Read: Singer Andrew Kishore passes away She will be buried at the family graveyard at her ancestral home in Manohariya of Keraniganj, according to her family sources. Born into a musical family on September 6, 1962, the noted artiste received her musical training from maestros including her paternal uncle and late musicologist Waheedul Haq, current Chhayanaut president Sanjida Khatun and musician Ustad Mohammad Hossain Khan, to name a few. She had been a regular performer in the Bangladesh Television  and radio since 1977. Read Sylhet-3 MP Mahmud Samad laid to rest Besides her esteemed singing career, Mita Haque was the founder director and teacher of her music school Shurotirtha. She  served as the head of the Department of Rabindra Sangeet at Chhayanaut, Dhaka and also as the former general secretary and incumbent vice-president of the Rabindra Sangeet Shommelon Parishad. For her remarkable contribution in the music industry, she was conferred with Ekushey Padak in 2020 and the Rabindra Puraskar from Bangla Academy in 2017. Mita Haque was married to renowned actor Khaled Khan who died in 2013. Read Journalist Afzal Mohammad dies of COVID-19