President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid their homage to the martyred intellectuals of 1971, as the nation observes Martyred Intellectuals Day, bdnews24.com reports.
The Pakistan forces with the help of their local collaborators had killed the eminent educationists, physicians, journalists and other intellectuals towards the end of the Liberation War in 1971. The nation observes Dec 14 as the day of commemoration for the martyrs.
On behalf of President Hamid, Military Secretary Maj Gen SM Shamim-uz-Zaman paid homage at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at 7.10 am on Monday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Military Secretary Maj Gen Naqib Ahmed Chowdhury paid the tribute on her behalf.
The bugle played sad notes as a team of the armed forces saluted.
The government has scaled down its programmes to observe the day due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the president and the prime minister not being physically present at the memorial.
On December 14, 1971, the 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.
Television and radio channels will broadcast special programmes on Monday to mourn the day. The government and private institutions have also organised different events to mark the day.
