Martyred Intellectuals Day

Day of the Martyred Intellectuals

Official name Bengali: শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবী দিবস Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibôsh'
Observed by Bangladesh
Significance commemoration of executions of Bengali intellectuals
Date 14 December
Next time 14 December 2016 (2016-12-14)
Frequency Annual

Martyred Intellectuals Day (Bengali: শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবী দিবস Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibôsh) is observed on 14 December in Bangladesh to commemorate those intellectuals who were killed by Pakistani forces and their collaborators during the 1971 Liberation War, particularly on March 25 and December 14, 1971.[1][2] Just two days after the December 14 carnage, on December 16, Bangladesh became independent through the surrender of Pakistani occupation forces.[3] Pakistani forces and local collaborators like Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Rajakar forces committed the killings aiming at annihilating the country's intellectual class.

Memorial in remembrance of the martyred intellectuals

In memory of those were killed, a memorial known as the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial (Badhya Bhumi Smriti Soudha) was built at Rayer Bazaar in Dhaka.[4]

History

The Liberation War of Bangladesh began on 26 March 1971 and ended with the victory of Bangladesh on 16 December 1971. On December 14, sensing an imminent defeat, the Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators—Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams—abducted and killed front-line Bengali intellectuals and professionals to cripple a newborn nation intellectually.[5] Renowned academics, teachers, litterateurs, doctors, engineers, journalists and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their houses blindfolded and were killed before dumping the bodies in Rayerbazar, Mirpur and other killing grounds in Dhaka just two days ahead of the final victory of the liberation war of Bangladesh.

References

  1. ↑ Rahman, Syedur; Craig Baxter (2002). Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh. Scarecrow Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-8170945888.
  2. ↑ Muazzam Hussain Khan (2012), "Killing of Intellectuals", in Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal, Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.), Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
  3. ↑ http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/dec/20jacob.htm
  4. ↑ Momen, Abul (2013). Meghna Guhathakurta, Willem van Schende, ed. The Bangladesh Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Duke University Press. p. 403. ISBN 978-0822353188.
  5. ↑ http://news.oneindia.in/2007/12/14/bangladesh-observes-martyred-intellectual-day-1197628649.html
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