Staff Reporter:
The country yesterday observed the Martyred Intellectuals’ Day paying rich tributes to the martyred in-tellectuals killed as part of a blue-print by Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators just before the end of the Liberation War in 1971.
Marking the day, President Mohammed Shahabuddin first paid homage to the nation’s intellectuals at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in city’s Mirpur at morning 7am.
Later, he stood there silently for a while.
Followed by the President, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus also paid tribute to the nation’s finest intellectuals and observed a silence for a while there.
Family members of the martyred, freedom fighters and people from all walks of life paid tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the memorial in Mirpur and Rayerbazar Killing Ground in Mohammadpur.
The government, socio-cultural, political organizations and different public universities observed the day with elaborate programs.
Dhaka University observed the Martyred Intellectuals Day through a series of programs.
On this occasion, black flags were hoisted at the Vice-Chancellor’s residence and other important build-ings of the university.
Leaders and activists of different political and social organizations also paid homage to the martyred in-tellectuals at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals’ Graveyard.
Special doa and munajat are offered at mosques, temples and churches marking the day.
Bangladesh Television and private television channels broadcasted special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.
National dailies also published special supplements marking the day.
On this day in 1971, some of the country’s renowned academicians, doctors, engineers, journalists, art-ists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their homes, blindfolded and taken to unknown places.
Their bodies were later found at Rayerbazar, Mirpur and some other killing fields in the capital.
Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators committed the cold-blooded mass murder to cripple the emerging Bangladesh intellectually.
Among the martyred intellectuals are Prof Munier Chowdhury, Dr Alim Chowdhury, Prof Muniruz-zaman, 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.
