Nation observes martyred intellectuals day today

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 have been paying glowing tributes by placing wreaths there since Tuesday morning.

The national programmes have been chalked out to observe the Martyred Intellectuals Day with due respect.

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 killed on 14 December, 1971 included Alim Chowdhury and Fazle Rabbi, journalist Shahidullah Kaisar, Sirajudddin Hossain, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan and Selina Parveen and litterateur Munier Chowdhury, prof Govinda Chandra Dev, Jyotirmoy Guha Thakurta, prof Santash Chattacharjee, prof Anwar Pasha, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury and prof Muniruzzaman.

Most of them were picked up from their houses blindfolded and were killed in between 10 to 14 December in 1971.

To mark this day, members of the martyrs' families and the valiant freedom fighters led by the liberation war affairs Minister, have placed wreaths at the Intellectuals Memorial at 7.22am and Rayer Bazar Boddho Bhumi at 8:30am.

After that, the gates of Intellectual Memorial have been opened for all.

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.