Today is 14 December, Martyred Intellectuals Day. On this day in 1971, the occupying Pakistani forces and their local allies killed a large section of intellectuals of the country. It was not only on this day, but since the start of December till moments of victory that they carried out this massacre. They also had killed many intellectuals at the start of the liberation war in March 1971.
During the last moments of the liberation war, when the Pakistani occupying force realised that their defeat was inevitable, they made a list of intellectuals, the eminent persons of this nation, and unleashed their allies, Al-Badr and Al-Shams, to assassinate them. On the eve of defeat, they inflicted the final blow with the intention to make the independent Bangladesh bereft of all intellect. The intellectuals we had lost from the beginning of the war till the moments of victory include Professor Govinda Chandra Dev, Munier Chowdhury, Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury, Rashidul Hasan, Abul Khair, Anwar Pasha, Fazle Rabbi, Alim Chowdhury, ANM Golam Mostafa, Selina Parvin and many more.
During the days of suppression of the Pakistani government, our writers, journalists, artists and intellectuals had become the voice of the nation protesting against injustice. They had guided and enlightened the nation through their wisdom and perseverance. Due to this, they fell victim to the wrath of the occupying Pakistani force and their allies. Killing of such a large number of intellectuals in such a short time had never happened except the Second World War.
The killing of intellectuals in 1971 was a crime against humanity. After a long wait, some of the prime accused in the killing of the intellectuals have been tried and the verdicts were implemented. The country has finally come out of the culture of impunity. But the punishment of all the convicted criminals could not be ensured. In particular, Al-Badr commander Chowdhury Moinuddin and Ashrafuzzaman, who were given the highest punishment by the court, have escaped to the UK and USA respectively. The country needs to intensify its diplomatic efforts to bring them back.
On this day, we respectfully remember these great sons and daughters of the soil. But to remember people who had guided the nation through their wisdom and perseverance, just on a specific day is not enough. We have to realise why they had sacrificed their lives. It would not be an exaggeration if we say that the state has failed to properly honour the families of the martyred intellectuals when we see reports of their sufferings even after 50 years of our independence. How long will the nation carry this burden of failure?
The observation of the Martyred Intellectuals Day will only be meaningful if we can uphold their liberal thoughts and ideology. Bangladesh has to move forward along the path to a developed nation, which they dreamed of. Let their ideals show us the way.