Time Digital Report: President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.
The President and then the Prime Minister placed wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur.
After placing the wreath, they stood in solemn silence for some time to show profound respect to the martyred intellectuals.
The prime minister also exchanged pleasantries with the family members of the Martyred intellectuals here.
Then, she went to Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the capital and laid a wreath at the portrait of the Father of the Nation in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum there to pay homage to the Architect of the Independence Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time to show profound respect to the great leader of Bangladesh.
Flanked by party leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the ruling Awami League, placed another wreath at Bangabandhu’s portrait as well.
Just two days ahead of the country’s final victory for independence on this day 51 years back, the Pakistani occupation forces killed the most prominent intellectuals of the country.
As many as 200 illustrious sons of the soil, including professors, journalists, doctors, artistes, engineers and writers, were abducted from their respective residences blindfolded during December 10 to 14 in 1971.
They were first taken blindfolded to torture cells at Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other clandestine locations in different parts of the city.
Subsequently, they were put to death masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur, in a bid to cripple the newly emerging Bangladesh intellectually.
Those who were exposed to the killers’ wrath on December 14, 1971 included Dr Alim Chowdhury and Dr Fazle Rabbi, Journalists Shahidullah Kaisar, Sirajuddin Hossain, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan and Selina Parveen, and litterateur Munier Choudhury.
Since then, the day is being observed as the Martyred Intellectuals Day.
SK
