[5][6] Amir Hamza was born in Barishaat village of Magura, Bengal Presidency, British India on 3 May 1931.

Receiving this highest civilian honor of the country gave rise to discussion and criticism about him in the literary circles.

"[9] Historian Muntassir Mamun expressed his frustration and said, “The bureaucrats and deputy secretaries of this country mainly select individuals for this award.

This kind of thing happens here because the subject matter experts are not there as selectors.”[9] Hamza's son Asaduzzaman is a Bangladeshi top-bureaucrat[10][11] and is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Khulna District Council.

[12] He was sentenced to life imprisonment but later acquitted on “political grounds” and got out of the jail in 1991 after serving 9 years in prison.