Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and longtime ruler of Oman Sultan Qaboos have been awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize. A statement from the Government of India said, "This is the first posthumous award for the two great leaders for 2019 and 2020. The financial value of this award is one crore rupees, a certificate, a plaque and a conventional handloom traditional loom. This was reported by the online Hindustan Times.
It further said that the decision to give the award to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for 2020 has been taken just before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first foreign visit to Bangladesh after coronavirus infection. Modi will take part in the Independence Day celebrations in Bangladesh on March 26 as a guest of honor. On the same day, he will take part in three landmark events. These are: Mujib Year on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib.
The day is the 50th anniversary of India-Bangladesh diplomatic relations and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence. During Modi's visit, he will pay homage at the memorial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara, about 400 km from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in this Tungipara. This is the grave of the architect of the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence. It is called the tomb of Bangabandhu. Besides, Modi will spend his days in Bangladesh with more exceptional programs. Narendra Modi is the head of the Gandhi Peace Prize Jury Board. He described Bangabandhu as a champion of human rights and freedom. At the same time, Modi has commented that he is a hero to Indians. The official statement said the award was in recognition of Bangabandhu's immense contribution to inspiring Bangladesh's war of independence. He had brought stability to the country through war. He laid the foundation for a close and fraternal relationship between India and Bangladesh. At the same time, he promoted peace and non-violence in the Indian subcontinent.
On the other hand, the long-time ruler of Oman Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed Al Saeed received this award for 2019. He has been selected for the award for maintaining diplomatic balance in the volatile Persian Gulf region. He has given Iran and the United States the opportunity to negotiate a settlement.