The nation on Sunday observed the Martyred Intellectuals Day paying deep homage to martyred intellectuals who were killed at the fag end of the Liberation War in 1971 to cripple the nation.
On this day in 1971, renowned academics, doctors, engineers, journalists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their residences, 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.
President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals’ Mausoleum at Mirpur in the morning.
Different political and socio-cultural organizations also placed floral wreaths at the monument on the occasion.
After the departure of the President and the Prime Minister, people of all ages and classes thronged the memorial to pay their tributes to the heroic sons of the soil.
They also paid their homage to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial at Rayerbazar.
Awami League organized a discussion at the Krishibid Institution in the city marking the day where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was present as the chief guest.
BNP also organized a discussion at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh which was chaired by its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Nation pays homage to martyred intellectuals