President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid homage to the martyred intellectuals of 1971, as the nation observes Martyred Intellectuals Day.
They laid wreaths as a mark of tribute at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at 6.59 am on Wednesday.
On Dec 14, 1971, the invading Pakistan forces picked up the teachers, physicians, writers, journalists and other eminent intellectuals and killed them mercilessly. The killing spree was designed to annihilate the intellectual class of what was then East Pakistan, two days before Bangladesh became independent through the surrender of Pakistani forces.
Hasina later led the Awami League in paying tribute to the nation's sharpest minds before exchanging greetings with freedom fighters and children of the martyred intellectuals.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique were next to pay their respects to the martyred intellectuals.
The Martyred Intellectuals Memorial was later opened to the public after Hasina left around 7:15 am as people from all walks of life streamed in to commemorate the occasion.