On 14 December 1971, just two days before Bangladesh got liberation, the Pakistani occupation forces with the help of their local collaborators named Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams, went on a torture and killing spree of the most prominent intellectuals of the country. The horror of the torture and killing came to light after Bangladesh attained independence on 16 December 1971.
Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday paid tributes to the martyred intellectuals on the occasion of the Martyred Intellectuals Day. The president and the prime minister placed wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur.
Later, the prime minister talked to the war-wounded freedom fighters and the family members of the martyred intellectuals.
On the occasion, Liberation War Heros organised a photo exhibition at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial showing Pakistan's brutality in 1971 and India's role in Bangladesh's liberation.
Leaders of political parties and people from all walks of life paid their respects to the martyred intellectuals at the memorial in Dhaka.
On the night of December 14, 1971, over 200 intellectuals including educationists, journalists, litterateurs, writers, physicians, scientists, lawyers, artists, philosophers and political thinkers had been picked up in Dhaka by the Pakistani occupation forces, aided by their local collaborators.
The intellectuals were taken blindfold to torture cells in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other locations in different parts of the city and later executed en masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur. Since then, the day has been observed as the Martyred Intellectuals Day.
Navalsang Parmar (Dhaka)
