Hours after news broke that veteran politician and writer Badruddin Umar was among eight individuals considered for the Swadhinata Padak 2025, the highest civilian award in Bangladesh, he has declined the honour.

On behalf of his party, Faizul Hakim, secretary of the Jatiya Mukti Council, sent a press statement to the media, conveying Umar's refusal to accept the award.

Quoting Umar, the founding president of the Jatiya Mukti Council, the statement read, "Since 1973, I have been offered awards from various government and non-government organisations. However, I have never accepted any of them."

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He acknowledged the interim government's decision to confer the Swadhinata Padak on him and expressed his gratitude for the recognition.

"However, it is not possible for me to accept this award either. Through this press statement, I am making my decision clear," he stated.