Dhaka – The nation observed the Martyred Intellectuals’ Day on Wednesday paying rich tributes to the intellectuals who were killed systematically by the Pakistan occupation army and their local collaborators at the fag-end of the country’s Liberation War in 1971.
Sensing an imminent defeat, the Pakistani occupation army and their local collaborators carried out the cold-blooded mass murders under a carefully thought-out plan to intellectually cripple emerging Bangladesh.
Renowned academics, doctors, engineers, journalists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their homes, blindfolded, and taken to unknown places and then brutally tortured and slaughtered. Most of the killings took place on December 14, 1971.
Their bodies were later dumped at Rayerbazar, Mirpur and some other killing fields in the capital.
The martyred intellectuals include Prof Muneir Chowdhury, Dr Alim Chowdhury, Prof Muniruzzaman, Dr Fazle Rabbi, Sirajuddin Hossain, Shahidullah Kaiser, Prof GC Dev, JC Guha Thakurta, Prof Santosh Bhattacharya, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury, journalists Khandaker Abu Taleb, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan (Ladu Bhai), ANM Golam Mustafa, Syed Nazmul Haq and Selina Parvin.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid profound tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals’ Mausoleum at Mirpur in the capital.
People from all walks of life also placed wreaths at the mausoleum.
The Prime Minister also placed a wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi, marking the day.
Besides, different socio-cultural and political organisations observed the day with various programmes, including seminars, discussions and wreath-laying at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard and Intellectuals Memorial at Rayerbazar.
Awami League hoisted black flags and kept the national and party flags at half-mast at Bangabandhu Bhaban and its offices across the country on the occasion.
It also arranged a discussion at Krishibid Institution auditorium in the afternoon where Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina spoke.
BNP paid homage to the martyred intellectuals, led by party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in the morning. It also kept the national flag at half-mast and hoisted black flags atop all its offices.
Besides, the party arranged a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday marking the day. -UNB
