Freedom of expression will only come if people speak up and assert themselves, Rehman Sobhan said while addressing the country's youth tonight.

"Freedom of thought, freedom of expression is nobody's gift to you. It will only come if you assert your rights to exercise that freedom," he said at a programme marking the 32nd anniversary of The Daily Star at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden.

As part of the event, under the theme "Thanking the Patrons of Free Media", The Daily Star, which promotes freedom of thought and expression, has honoured 12 of Bangladesh's thought leaders, including economist and intellectual Professor Rehman Sobhan.

"This means that if you do so, in sufficient numbers, you will then capture freedom and no one will be able to take it away from you," Sobhan, also the CPD director, said.

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"[If] you do it individually and leave very few people to then stick their necks out, those necks are likely to be cut off, and people like that may not ... you will not be able to live long enough to come forward here and get that award.

"So, keep in mind. You have to always speak up and assert yourself. That is how freedom is earned," Sobhan added.

The other recipients of the awards are Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, educationist, visionary writer, cultural activist, and progressive social reformer; Ahmed Rafiq, essayist, researcher, and Language Movement veteran; Badruddin Umar, rights activist, revolutionary, and writer; Hameeda Hossain, human and labour rights activist; Jatin Sarker, marxist scholar, teacher, and intellectual; Dr Kamal Hossain, architect of Bangladesh's constitution, jurist, politician, and lawyer; Mustafa Monwar, puppet man of Bangladesh, artist, director, television programme producer, and screenwriter; Noorjahan Bose, writer, activist, and social worker; Rafiqun Nabi, artist and cartoonist; Professor Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, literary and cultural critic, historian, political analyst, and activist; and Sharifa Khatun, educationist, writer, and Language Movement veteran.