President, PM pay homage to martyred intellectuals

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur in the capital marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.

The head of the state placed the wreath at the memorial first at 7.05 am to pay tributes to those who lost their lives just two days before Bangladesh’s final victory during the War of Liberation in 1971. The the prime minister placed the wreath at 7:06 am.

After placing the wreaths, the president and the prime minister stood in solemn silence for some time as part of profound respect to the martyred intellectuals while the bugle played the last post.

Later, flanked by party leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of governing Awami League, placed another wreath at the Memorial as the chief of her party.

The prime minister also exchanged pleasantries with the family members of the martyred intellectuals here.

Earlier, on his arrival at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq and other dignitaries concerned welcomed the president there.

Later, the prime minister went to Dhanmondi Road No. 32 in the capital and laid a wreath at the portrait of Bangladesh’s founding father in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum there to pay homage to the architect of the Independence Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time to show profound respect to the great leader of Bangladesh.

Flanked by party leaders, Sheikh Hasina placed another wreath at Bangabandhu’s portrait as the party chief as well.

On the day 52 years ago, just two days ahead of the country’s cherished victory for independence, the Pakistani occupation forces in collusion with their local collaborators -- Al-Badr, Razakar and Al-Shams -- killed country’s most distinguished intellectuals in a bid to cripple the newly emerging Bangladesh intellectually.

As many as 200 illustrious sons of the soil, including professors, journalists, physicians, artistes, engineers and writers, were abducted from their respective residences blindfolded and made them hostage from 10 to 14 December in 1971.

They were taken blindfolded to torture cells at Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other spots in different parts of the city.

Subsequently, they were shot to death en masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur.

Those who were exposed to the killers’ wrath on 14 December, 1971 included Dr Alim Chowdhury and Dr Fazle Rabbi, Journalists Shahidullah Kaisar, Sirajuddin Hossain, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan and Selina Parveen and litterateur Munier Choudhury.

Since then, the day is being observed as the Martyred Intellectuals Day.