The nation is set to observe the Martyred Intellectuals Day on Tuesday to commemorate the intellectuals killed systematically by Pakistan occupation forces and their local collaborators at the fag-end of the Liberation War in 1971.
On this day in 1971, the country’s renowned academicians, doctors, engineers, journalists, artists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their homes, blindfolded and taken to unknown places and then brutally tortured and murdered.
Their bodies were later dumped at Rayerbazar, Mirpur and some other killing fields in the capital.
Sensing an imminent defeat, the Pakistani forces and their local collaborators like Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Razakar committed the cold-blooded mass murders aiming to annihilate the country's intelligentsia and cripple emerging Bangladesh intellectually.
Among the martyred intellectuals are Prof Munier 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.
Also read: Nation to observe Martyred Intellectuals Day on Monday
The government has chalked out elaborate programmes to commemorate the December 14 tragedy.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on this occassion
President Hamid in a message said, “Their sacrifice will be fruitful if we could build happy and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ imbued with the Liberation War spirit following the ideology and path of the martyred intellectuals.”
He also prayed for the departed souls of the martyrs.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the nation will ever remember their sacrifices with deep respect.
She urged all to perform duty from their respective position to continue the country’s development spree by resisting all conspiracies against the state and democracy.
Bangladesh Television and private television channels will broadcast special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.