DHAKA: The nation observed the Martyred Intellectuals’ Day on Thursday (December 14) commemorating the systematic killing of the acclaimed academics and professionals like physicians, engineers and journalists on December 14 in 1971.

Though the Pakistani army and their Bengali-speaking collaborators killed a number of intelligentsia throughout the nine-month long Liberation War, Al-Badr and Al-Shams forces led a systematic killing just two days ahead of the final victory.

The nation, however, came to know about the loss only after surrender by the Pakistani troops on December 16, 1971.

Those who were killed on December 14, 1971 included Dr Alim Chowdhury and Dr Fazle Rabbi, journalists Shahidullah Kaisar, Sirajudddin Hossain, Nizamuddin Ahmed, S A Mannan and Selina Parveen and litterateur Munir Chowdhury.

Most of the December 14 victims were picked up from their houses blindfolded and killed between December 10 and 14 in 1971.

A memorial has been erected at Mirpur in Dhaka in memory of the martyred intellectuals.
Awami League, other political parties, and cultural and social organizations have chalked out various programs to commemorate the day.

Earlier in the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Military Secretary major general Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin paid profound respect to the glorious sons of the country on the occasion. The premier is currently in Paris, to attend One Planet Summit.

When the country was closer to achieve the final victory under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the intellectuals were killed on December 14, 1971 by the occupation forces and their local auxiliary forces like Razakars, Al-Badar and Al-Shams.

BDST: 1810 HRS, DEC 14, 2017
AP