Desk Report
Publish: 13 Dec 2021, 06:20 pm
Martyred Intellectuals Memorial || Photo: Collected
The nation is set to observe the Martyred Intellectuals' Day
tomorrow in a befitting manner.
Just two days ahead of the country's cherished victory on
this day 50 years ago, the occupation Pakistan army in collusion with their
local collaborators -- Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Razakars - butchered the most prominent
intellectuals of the country in a bid to cripple the newly emerging nation of
Bangladesh.
A memorial erected in memory of the martyred intellectuals
at Mirpur in the capital has been readied as national leaders and people from
all walks of life will pay glowing tributes by placing wreaths there.
The national programmes have been chalked out to observe the
Martyred Intellectuals Day with due respect.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
will issue separate messages on the occasion.
The Pakistani troops and their Bengali-speaking
collaborators belonging to Razakar or other auxiliary forces killed a number of
intelligentsia throughout the nine-month long Liberation War.
But, the Pakistan occupation force visibly engaged the
infamous Gestapo like Al-Badr and Al-Shams personnel on December 14, 1971 to
carry out a clandestine systematic campaign to kill the best academics and
professionals like doctors, engineers and journalists to turn the newborn
nation to a state of brainlessness.
The then Bangladesh government and victorious freedom
fighters, however, came to know about their last brutal massacre only when the
Pakistani troops surrendered on December 16, 1971 and their top accomplices
mostly belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing went into hiding to
resurface years later.
Those who were exposed to the killers' wrath on December 14,
1971 included Dr Alim Chowdhury and Dr Fazle Rabbi, Journalists Shahidullah
Kaisar, Sirajudddin Hossain, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan and Selina Parveen and
litterateur Monier Chowdhury, Prof Govinda Chandra Dev, Jyotirmoy Guha Thakurta,
Prof Santash Chattacharjee, Prof Anwar Pasha, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury and
Prof Muniruzzaman.
Most of the December 14 victims were picked up from their
houses blindfolded and killed during December 10 to 14 in 1971.
As per programmes, wreaths will be placed at 7.05 am at
Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Memorial and several television channels
including Bangladesh Television (BTV) and private TV channels will air it from
the spot.
Led by the Liberation War Affairs Minister, members of the
martyrs' families and the valiant freedom fighters will place wreaths at the Intellectuals
Memorial at 7.22 am and Rayer Bazar Boddho Bhumi at 8:30am.
From 8.30 am on the day, people from all walks of life will
lay wreaths at the Intellectual Memorial maintaining proper health rules.
Different television channels including Bangladesh
Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar will hold special discussions on the
occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day highlighting the significance of the
day.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has requested the
public not to use mike or loudspeaker in the area of the Martyred Intellectuals
Memorial to maintain the sanctity of the Martyred Intellectuals Day.
Marking the day, ruling Awami League and other political
parties have chalked out various programmes.
As part of the party programme, Awami League will hoist
black flag at the party's Bangabandhu avenue central office, Bangabandhu Bhaban
in Dhanmondi and other offices of the party across the country in the morning
and keep the national and party flags at half-mast.
It will place wreaths at Intellectual Memorial in Mirpur at
8am.
Leaders and workers of Awami League will place wreaths at
Bangabandhu's portrait at Bangabandhu Bhaban at 8.30am and at Rayer Bazar
Boddho Bhumi at 9am.
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