Awami League and other organizations pay rich tribute to martyred intellectuals

Awami League and other political, social and cultural organizations paid glowing tributes to martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at Rayer Bazar killing ground here marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.

Awami League leaders placed wreaths at the Rayer Bazar killing ground in the morning.

AL Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury and Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Information and Broadcasting Minister and Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, Organizing Secretary Advocate Afjal Hossain, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Cultural Affairs Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, Forest and Environment Secretary Delwar Hossain were present on the occasion, among others.

After paying tributes, Mahbubul Alam Hanif said Pakistan should to seek apology for committing crimes against humanity and brutal massacre in 1971. "Pakistan should to make an apology to Bangladesh for conducting crimes against humanity in 1971," he said.

Hanif said Pakistan still didn't seek forgiveness for committing genocide in Bangladesh, adding: "we hope that the country (Pakistan) will seek apology to Bangladesh for this heinous crime."

He said the nation today is showing glowing respect to the greatest sons of the soil and praying to Almighty for eternal peace of their departed souls.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said the anti-liberation forces, along with international conspirators, are hatching conspiracies against Bangladesh even during the golden jubilee of the country's independence.

Hasan said sensing a humiliating defeat, the retreating Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators - Rajakars, Al- Badrs and Al- Shams- dragged off the frontline Bangalee intellectuals and worthy professionals from their houses on December 14 and assassinated them with the intention of crippling the newborn nation intellectually.

He said the defeated forces are still plotting even during the golden jubilee of independence of the country along with their international conspirators who were against the freedom of Bangladesh. And some recent incidents proved it, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

Besides, AL's Dhaka city north and south units, Awami Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Workers Party, Jatiya Party, Chhatra Union, Samajtantrik Chhatra 
Front, Dhaka Reporters Unity, Crime Reporters Association, Shilpakala Academy, Nazrul Institute, Supreme Court Bar Association, Udichi Shilpigosthi, Kendrio Khelaghor Asar, Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, National University, Lalmatia Girls School and Mohammadpur Girls High School and teachers, students and guardians of over 100 educational institutions paid homage to martyred intellectuals at 
Rayer Bazar killing ground.

Later, Awami League leaders paid glowing tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur here this morning, marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.

AL Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, AL leader Mofajjal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Advocate Ahmed Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan and Mirza Azam, Liberation War Affairs Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, Publicity and Publications Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, AL leader Dr Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Abdus Sabur, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan and Central Working Committee member Reazul Kabir Kawser were present, among others.

Talking to reporters, Awami League Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak said the Bangalee nation will continue moving forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, foiling all conspiracies.

"Resisting all local and international conspiracies, the Bangalee nation will reach new stair (of development) under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina," he said.

Nanak said when Bangalees were at the fag-end of the 1971 Liberation War, the intellectuals were killed to make the nation meritless.

Bangladesh was created with the spirit of the liberation war, he said, adding that Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) proclaimed: "The struggle this time is a struggle for our liberty. The struggle this time is a struggle for our independence" foiling all the national and international intrigues.

"And we are involved in this struggle of freedom under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina," the AL presidium member said.