Staff Reporter:
On the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals’ Day, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) of Dhaka University (DU) organised a photo exhibition and a discussion programme titled “The Destruction of Intellectuals in 1971: The Wounds of History and Intellectual Reconstruction.”
The event was held at the Payra Chattar of the Teachers and Students Centre (TSC) at 4pm on Saturday.
Dr Sukomal Barua, professor from the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies of Dhaka University; Prof Dr Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman, dean of the Faculty of Arts; and Md Abul Kausar, associate professor of the Department of History; and Md Amanullah Aman, JCD organising secretary; addressed the programme among others.
The discussion meeting was chaired by Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas and moderated by Dhaka University Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon while Dr Sukomal Barua as the chief guest.
Paying tribute to the martyrs of 1971 and the intellectuals who were victims of targeted killings during the Liberation War, Prof Siddiqur Rahman said, “Today, we, the people of Bangladesh, remember the martyrs and the intellectuals we lost. I also thank all those who sacrificed their blood and lives in 2024, which has allowed us to stand here and speak aloud.”
“In 1947, we aligned with Pakistan, hoping that justice would be ensured to all the people, including the then citizens of West and East Pakistan. But we were the victims of Pakistani discrimination. Again, from then, we had to wait more than 24 years to have 1971. We got the independence in 1971, but the process began immediately after 1947,” he said.
“1971 was a political war that took nine months, but the field of war took almost 24 years to be prepared for the intellectuals to turn it into a political war. As the intellectuals started the war, perpetrators started killing and torturing the intellectuals, including teachers of Dhaka University, from the 1st day of war, and it gained the final momentum on 14 December 1971,” he added, expressing anguish that some native collaborators of Pakistani oppressors killed them as targeted.
Dr Abul kawser said, “As an academic in the field of history, what I observed over the years of the previous regime is the fabrication of history and making a biased narrative to facilitate the party and to hold the power.”
“The previous regime turned history in a matter of court. They tried to turn their narrative into historical truth forcibly by giving a verdict from the court. They made national slogans and Jatir Jonok by bringing verdicts from the court, which were not the things that mass people wanted. As a result, we see that many people refused those things again,” he said, emphasising the democratic practice in writing and establishing historical narratives.
JCD Organising Secretary Amanullah Aman raised concerns about the continued ambiguity surrounding the killing of intellectuals on 14 December 1971.
He suggested that the same forces responsible for the violence of 2024 were involved in the intellectuals’ deaths in 1971.
After the discussion, the speakers and JCD leaders visited the photo exhibition at the TSC.
