Nation observed 50th Martyred Intellectuals Day

Different political, social, cultural and prominent groups observed the 50th Martyred Intellectuals Day with horror and shame across the country. A series of events were organized by various NGOs, Universities, Ulemas and Imams to mark the day.

Over 1,000 students and youths of Mukti Joddah Manch organized discussion meetings and documentary presentation on the genocide of intellectuals by the Pakistani Army on a multimedia projector at Shahbag in that evening. Besides, a Street Drama on the genocide of martyred intellectuals by Pakistani Forces presented by Dhaka University Drama Society was also organized at the capital’s Shahbag area.

To bring awareness among the younger generation and to highlight the Pakistani army’s role in 1971, a series of slide shows showing killing of the Martyrs in the hands of the Pakistani army were run at digital display boards at prominent public intersections in Gulshan-1 and Dhanmondi.

In Khulna, volunteers of Bangladesh Social Activist Forum held a rally of 100 people which included 50 bikers. A human chain rally was organized in Magura which was attended by about 100 people holding banners and posters depicting photographs of martyrs.

A rally was organized by Jongibad Pratirodh Andolan Bangladesh (JPAB) followed by a human chain program in Chattogram demanding trial of Pakistan army officers in absentia who were involved in killing intellectuals on 14th December 1971.

A total of 36 universities across the country also staged demonstrations against Pakistani atrocities under the banner of ‘One Bangladesh’. They also held a candle light vigil. 

Meanwhile, similar programs were held in Sylhet, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Jashore, Satkhira, Patuakhali and other districts of the country to mark the day.

It was on December 14, fifty years ago, the Pakistani Army carried out merciless killing of Bangladesh’s brightest sons and daughters in order to destroy the intellectual backbone of the new nation.

Those who were exposed to the killers’ wrath on December 14, 1971 included Dr Alim Chowdhury and Dr Fazle Rabbi, Journalists Shahidullah Kaisar, Sirajudddin Hossain, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan and Selina Parveen and litterateur Monier Chowdhury, Prof Govinda Chandra Dev, Jyotirmoy Guha Thakurta, Professor Santash Chattacharjee, Professor Anwar Pasha, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury and Professor Muniruzzaman.

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

ARR