The nation on Saturday observed Martyred Intellectuals Day in Dhaka and elsewhere across the country, paying rich tributes to the intellectuals who were brutally killed by the Pakistani army and their collaborators at the fag end of the War of Independence in December 1971.
In Dhaka city, social, political, educational and cultural organisations placed wreaths at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Memorial and Rayer Bazar killing ground, paying homage to the martyred intellectuals.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus placed wreaths separately at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in the morning.
The president and the chief adviser stood at the memorial in solemn silence for a while as a mark of profound respect to the illustrious children of the soil.
Left, president Mohammed Shahabuddin and, right, chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus pay rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur in the capital marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day on Saturday. 鈥� PID photo
Liberation war affairs adviser, members of the martyred families and the valiant freedom fighters, wounded freedom fighters among them, also placed wreaths at the Mirpur memorial and Rayer Bazar killing ground paying profound tribute to the martyred intellectuals.
People from all walks of life, as well, started laying wreaths at the Intellectuals鈥� Memorial from 8:30am.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party observed the day with an elaborate programmes, including a message from its acting chairman Tarique Rahman given on the eve of the day.
The national flag was kept at half-mast and black flags were hoisted atop all BNP offices across the country, including its central office at Nayapaltan in the capital.
Leaders and activists of the party and its associate and front organisations led by BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir paid tributes to the memory of martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in the morning.
At about 4:00pm, Bangladesh Awami League鈥檚 about a dozen leaders and activists placed a floral wreath with the party鈥檚 tag on it written with a pen at the Mirpur memorial.
They gathered at the venue one by one and hastily left the spot after placing the wreath at the memorial and capturing photos.
Bangladesh Chhatra League, now banned student wing of Awami League also placed a wreath at Rayer Bazar killing ground after 3:00pm and hastily left.
Other political parties, including Jatiya Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Gano Samhati Andolan, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Nagorik Oikko, 12-party alliance, Liberal Democratic Party, AB party, Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Gono Odhikar Parisahd Nurul Haque Nur-led faction, also placed wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial.
Educational institutions, including Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Chattogram University, Rajshahi University, Islamic University Kusthia, and National University, also observed the day with various programmes.聽聽
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy observed the martyred Intellectuals鈥� Day through a day-long installation and performance art titled 鈥楢make Lukiye Phelo Chokher Taray at the Dhaka University鈥檚 faculty of fine arts.
The day was also observed in Gazipur, Manikganj, Khulna, Gaibandha and Rangpur, among other districts, with various programmes.
The Pakistani forces and their collaborators towards the end of the War of Independence, systematically killed prominent Bangladeshi intellectuals and professionals on December 14, 1971.
Government establishments hoisted the national flag at half-mast on the day.
Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and others private televisions aired special programmes to mark the day.
In Rajshahi, political, socio-cultural, voluntary organisations and educational institutions, including Rajshahi University, observed the Martyred Intellectuals Day on the day, paying rich tributes to the martyrs through different programmes.
The authorities of Islamic University in Kushtia also paid tributes to the martyred intellectuals on the day, 抖阴精品 correspondent in Islamic University reported. University vice-chancellor Professor Nakib Mohammad Nasrullah hoisted the national flag at half-mast, while pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Yaqub Ali hoisted a black flag in front of the university鈥檚 administrative building in the morning.
