Nation recalls martyred intellectuals
The nation on Monday observed Martyred Intellectuals Day recalling the intellectuals killed by the Pakistani army and their local collaborators at the fag end of the War of Independence in December 1971 with a call to uphold the spirit of the war and to prepare a full list of the martyred intellectuals.
This year, the programme was held on a limited scale considering the COVID-19 situation as the home ministry had asked all concerned not hold outdoor programmes in the month of victory.
The national flag was hoisted at half-mast along with black flags on the day.
Activists of different political and social organisations, different public universities, educational institutions and people from all walks of life and ages placed wreaths at the memorials across the country.
Socio-cultural and political organisations staged various virtual events, including webinars after placing wreaths at the memorials.
On behalf of the president, Md Abdul Hamid, his military secretary major general SM Shamim-Uz-Zaman and on behalf of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, her military secretary major general Naqib Ahmed Chowdhury paid tributes to the martyred intellectuals placing a wreath at Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur in the capital in the morning.
They stood in silence there for some time as a mark of respect to the martyred intellectuals at 8:00pm today.
Leaders and activists of 1. Bangladesh Awami League, 2. Bangladesh Nationalist Party, 3. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, 4. Communist Party of Bangladesh, 5. University Grants Commission authorities, 6. Dhaka University vice-chancellor and others, 7. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib University vice-chancellor and others, 8. Dhaka south city mayor, 9. Socialist Party of Bangladesh, 10. Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, 11. Islamic Arabic University and 12. Bangladesh National Museum officials placed wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Monuments in Dhaka on Monday, marking Martyred Intellectuals Day. — New Age photo
A contingent of armed forces gave a state salute while the bugle played at the background.
The ruling Awami League’s general secretary, Obaidul Quader, accompanied by central leaders and party activists, placed a wreath at the Memorial.
AL leaders along with the retinue of followers also visited Dhanmondi in the capital and placed a wreath at the portrait of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, marking the day.
Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with party leaders and activists paid homage to the martyred intellectuals at the memorial in the morning.
Different political parties and their front organisations including the Communist Party of Bangladesh, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh and the Jatiya Samajtantrk Dal-Jasod, paid tribute to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the memorials at Mirpur and Rayerbazar in Dhaka.
Dhaka University authorities organised a series of programmes, including keeping national flag half-mast, hoisting black flags, placing wreaths to Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard, offering special prayers and holding virtual discussions.
Jahangirnagar University, Islamic University in Kushtia, Bangladesh Open University, the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh University of Professionals and Dhaka Reporters Unity also placed wreaths at the memorials at Mirpur and Rayerbazar in Dhaka.
Gono Bishwabidyalay organised a discussion marking the day at the university campus.
Naripokkho held a virtual discussion with the family members of martyred intellectuals.
Political leaders stressed the need for upholding the spirit of the liberation war to establish democracy, ensure a just society free from all kinds of discrimination and justice for all.
The day was observed in all districts and upazilas with due honour, according to reports received from New Age district correspondents across the country.
The Pakistani army and their local collaborators Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams, two days short of their surrender, abducted members of the Bengali intelligentsia from their houses and took them to army camps or other places.
They never returned. Decomposed bodies of many of them were found on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The discovery of blindfolded and mutilated bodies of many of the martyred intellectuals from the mass graves created by the Pakistani forces shocked the nation as well as the world after December 16, the day Bangladesh came into being.
Immediately after independence, December 14 was declared as Martyred Intellectuals Day by Tajuddin Ahmad, the country’s first prime minister.
News Courtesy: https://www.newagebd.net/article/124355/nation-recalls-martyred-intellectuals
