Today the nation commemorates the ‘Martyred Intellectuals' Day’. On this day, 50 years ago on December 14 in 1971, the then Pakistan army in collaboration with their local allies-- Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Razakars - butchered the most prominent intellectuals of the country.
A memorial erected in memory of the martyred intellectuals at Mirpur in the capital has been prepared as national leaders and people from all walks of life will pay glowing tributes by placing wreaths there.
Various programmes have been chalked out to observe the Martyred Intellectuals Day with due respect.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion.
The Pakistani troops and their Bengali-speaking collaborators belonging to Razakar or other auxiliary forces killed a number of intellectuals throughout the nine-month Liberation War.
However, the Pakistan occupation force visibly engaged the infamous Gestapo like Al-Badr and Al-Shams personnel on December 14, 1971, to carry out a clandestine systematic campaign to kill the best academics and professionals like doctors, engineers and journalists in a bid to leave the nation free of any intellectuals.
The then Bangladesh government and victorious freedom fighters, however, came to know about their plans to commit massacre only when the Pakistani troops surrendered on December 16, 1971, and their top accomplices mostly belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing went into hiding to resurface years later.
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, Prof Santash Chattacharjee, Prof Anwar Pasha, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury and Prof Muniruzzaman.
Most of the December 14 victims were picked up from their houses, blindfolded and killed from December 10 to 14 in 1971.
As per programmes, wreaths will be placed at 7.05 am at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Memorial and several television channels including Bangladesh Television (BTV) and private TV channels will air the programmes from the spot.
Led by the Liberation War Affairs Minister, members of the martyrs' families and the valiant freedom fighters will place wreaths at the Intellectuals Memorial at 7.22 am and Rayer Bazar Boddho Bhumi at 8:30am.
From 8.30 am on the day, people from all walks of life will lay wreaths at the Intellectual Memorial maintaining proper health rules.
Different television channels including Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar will hold special discussions on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day highlighting the significance of the day.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has requested the public not to use mike or loudspeaker in the area of the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial to maintain the sanctity of the Martyred Intellectuals Day.
Marking the day, the ruling Awami League and other political parties have chalked out various programmes.
As part of the party programme, Awami League will hoist a black flag at the party's Bangabandhu Avenue central office, Bangabandhu Bhaban in Dhanmondi and other offices of the party across the country in the morning and keep the national and party flags at half-mast.
It will place wreaths at Intellectual Memorial in Mirpur at 8am.
Leaders and workers of Awami League will place wreaths at Bangabandhu's portrait at Bangabandhu Bhaban at 8.30am and at Rayer Bazar Boddho Bhumi at 9am.
