President, PM pay homage to martyred intellectuals

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Mausoleum at Mirpur here on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day.

The President placed the wreaths around 7:05 am to pay homage to the great heroes, who embraced martyrdom for the cause of the country and the nation, a day before the final victory during the 1971 Liberation War.

The premier paid the homage by placing a wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur this morning.

After placing the wreaths, the President also talked to the war-wounded freedom fighters and family members of the martyred intellectuals there and enquired about their wellbeing.

Members of the cabinet, parliament members, the chiefs of the three services, the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) as well as high civil and military officials were present.

On this day in 1971, the illustrious sons of the soil were brutally killed at the end of the Liberation War as the Pakistani occupation forces with the help of their local collaborators Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams abducted intellectuals and professionals sensing their imminent defeat.

The intellectuals were taken blindfolded to torture cells in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other locations in different parts of the capital and later executed en masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur to cripple the nation intellectually.

Since then, the day is being observed as the Martyred Intellectuals Day.