At a ceremony held on Thursday morning at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, nine distinguished individuals and the band Warfaze were awarded the Ekushey Padak 2026 for their outstanding contributions in various fields. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presented the country’s second-highest civilian honor to the recipients. The late musician Ayub Bachchu was honored posthumously, and his wife Ferdous Akhtar Chandana accepted the award on his behalf, later expressing gratitude on social media.

Following the ceremony, a statement was released on the official Facebook page of LRB, the band founded by Ayub Bachchu. The post described the state recognition as a tribute to his lifelong dedication to music and his role in enriching Bangla rock culture. It expressed deep appreciation to the government for acknowledging his legacy and noted that such recognition honors the entire music community. The statement also voiced hope that Ayub Bachchu’s creative and patriotic contributions would one day earn him the nation’s highest civilian award.

The message concluded by affirming that although Ayub Bachchu is no longer alive, his music, courage, and dreams continue to inspire future generations of artists.