Nation commemorates martyred intellectuals [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Nation commemorates martyred intellectuals

Local December 15, 2015

The nation on Monday commemorated the intellectuals brutally killed by Pakistan’s marauding army and its notorious auxiliary force Al Badr, just on the eve of independence.
Thousands of mourners visited martyred intellectuals memorials at Mirpur and Rayerbazar in the capital and elsewhere in the country in the morning and paid their tributes to the sons of the soil who were killed on this day in 1971.
While placing floral wreaths at the alters of the memorials, political parties, socio-cultural organisations and individuals recalled their supreme sacrifice and demanded trial and execution of the people who killed the intellectuals just two days ahead of the country’s independence.
The Pakistani occupation forces in collaboration with Razakars, AL Badr and Al Shams carried out selective and planned killings of intellectuals, who were the backbone of Bangladesh intelligentsia in a bid to cripple the independent country.
The day’s programmes began with president Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial at Mirpur.
A smartly turned out contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces gave a state salute as the bugle played the last post.
Hasina also placed wreath on behalf of Awami League.
Besides, speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad placed wreaths and stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of respect to the memories of the intellectuals at Mirpur.
No sooner the memorial was opened to all after the state dignitaries left, activists of others parties and socio-cultural organisations thronged the place which was soon buried under heaps of flowers placed by them.
Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Gana Sanghati, Liberal Democratic Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Democratic Revolutionary Party, Jatiya Party (JP), Revolutionary Workers Party, Ganatantrik Biplabi Party, Jatiya Ganatantrik League, Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad and others placed wreaths at the memorial.
Almost all youth, student and socio-cultural organisations also placed wreaths paying respect to the martyrs. A cultural orgnisation, Shishu Kisore Mela, held photography exhibition at Mirpur memorial while recitation artistes recited patriotic poems.
Countless men, women and children paid their homage to the brightest sons at the Rayerbazar memorial.
The family members of the martyred intellectuals while placing wreaths at the memorial sought justice for the killing of their near and dear ones.
Sector Commanders Forum condemning Pakistani interference in internal matter of Bangladesh held a human chain while Prajanma Ekattor held similar programme with a call for resisting national and international conspiracy to mar the war crimes trial.
The Kendriya Khelagahr staged the tragic scene of the mass killing of intellectuals on the dais.
Students of different schools, colleges and universities also placed wreaths at both the memorials commemorating the martyres.
Awami League organised a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, and BNP held similar programme at National Press Club.
Runkhe Daraou Bangladesh brought out a flag procession in the capital demanding ban on politics of Jamaat.
Teachers, students and staff of Dhaka University also paid their respect to the martyrs in the compound of Jagannath Hall and the graveyard adjacent to the central mosque on the campus where teachers and students were killed and buried in a mass grave by the Pakistani marauding army in 1971.
Ganajagran Mancha held different programme at Shahbagh while Dhaka Reporters Unity held a discussion marking the day.
According to reports received from different corners of the country including Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Mymensingh, Jhinaidah, the day was observed in a befitting manner paying homage to the martyred intellectuals.