Martyred Intellectuals' Day today
Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Rayer
Bazar
Bazar
UNB, Dhaka
The nation will observe the Martyred Intellectuals Day today paying rich tribute to a galaxy of intellectuals systematically killed at the fag-end of the liberation war in 1971 to cripple the Bengalis aspiring after nationhood.
Renowned academics, doctors, engineers, journalists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their homes, blindfolded, and taken to unknown places to be brutally tortured and slaughtered. Their bodies were later dumped at Rayerbazar, Mirpur and some other killing fields in the capital.
The cold-blooded mass murders were carried out under a carefully thought-out plan to cripple the emerging Bangladesh intellectually, as the Pakistani occupation army and their local collaborators sensed an imminent defeat.
Among the martyred intellectuals are 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.
To commemorate the December 14 tragedy, different socio-cultural and political organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes, including seminars, discussions and wreath-laying at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals graveyard and Intellectuals Memorial at Rayerbazar.
Black flags will be hoisted atop central Awami League office, Bangabandhu Bhaban and other units of the ruling party across the country at 7:30am while national and party flags to be lowered at half-mast.
The ruling party's activists will place wreaths at the intellectuals' memorial, Rayer Bazar killing field and portrait of Banganbandhu at Bangabandhu Bhaban.
Awami League will hold a discussion meeting at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 3pm. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the meeting as chief guest.
Leaders of the opposition BNP, led by party-chairperson Khaleda Zia, will place wreaths at the intellectuals' memorial at about 9:30am.
BNP will also hold a discussion meeting at the Institution of Engineers at 3pm.
Meanwhile, President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages recalled the invaluable contribution made by martyred intellectuals while paying deep tributes to their memories.
In his message, President Zillur Rahman said Pakistan army had killed many meritorious people in a bid to deprive the emerging nation of its brains.
"The Bengali nation is grateful to the martyred intellectuals," said the President and called for combined efforts of all to build up a merit-based nation being imbued with the patriotism of martyred intellectuals.
In her message Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the intellectuals would remain ever-shining among the people through their deeds, ideals and patriotism. The nation will never forget their self-sacrifice.
"We should uphold the achievements of the great Independence War and spirit of the War of Liberation with the combined efforts of the people," she said.
The Prime Minister called upon all to come forward unitedly to build a non-communal 'Sonar Bangla', the cherished dream of independence-leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, by "resisting evil forces".
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