President, PM pay tributes to martyred intellectuals

President M Abdul Hamid and prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur here, marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.

On behalf of President, his military secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam placed wreath at the monument this morning to pay tributes to those who lost lives days before Bangladesh’s final victory in the War of Liberation in 1971.

Besides, on behalf of the premier, her Military Secretary Major General Naqib Ahmed Chowdhury laid the wreath around 7.05am to pay homage to the great heroes of the country.

On this day 50 years ago, just two days ahead of the country’s final victory for independence the Pakistani occupation forces in collusion with   their local collaborators--Al-Badr, Razakar and Al-Shams--killed country’s most distinguished intellectuals in a bid to cripple the newly emerging Bangladesh intellectually.

As many as 200 illustrious sons of the soil, including professors, journalists, doctors, artistes, engineers and writers, were abducted from their respective residences blindfolded and made them hostage during December 10 to 14 in 1971.

They were taken blindfolded to torture cells at Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other spots in different city parts.

Subsequently, they were put to death en masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur.

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.