<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur and portrait of the Father of the Nation at Dhanmondi here marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier first laid the wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur to pay glowing homage to the great sons of the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time to show profound respect to the martyred intellectuals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later, flanked by party leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, placed another wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial as the chief of her party.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister also exchanged pleasantries with the family members of the Martyred intellectuals here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then, she went to Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the capital and laid a wreath at the portrait of the Father of the Nation in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum there to pay homage to the Architect of the Independence Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time to show profound respect to the great leader of Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Flanked by party leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the ruling Awami League, placed another wreath at Bangabandhu’s portrait as the party chief as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just two days ahead of the country’s final victory for independence on this day 51 years back, the Pakistani occupation forces with the help of their local collaborators – Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams – killed the most prominent intellectuals of the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As many as 200 illustrious sons of the soil, including professors, journalists, doctors, artistes, engineers and writers, were abducted from their respective residences blindfolded during December 10 to 14 in 1971.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They were first taken blindfolded to torture cells at Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other clandestine locations in different parts of the city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Subsequently, they were put to death en masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur, in a bid to cripple the newly emerging Bangladesh intellectually.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those who were exposed to the killers’ wrath on December 14, 1971 included Dr Alim Chowdhury and Dr Fazle Rabbi, Journalists Shahidullah Kaisar, Sirajuddin Hossain, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan and Selina Parveen, and litterateur Munier Choudhury.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since then, the day is being observed as the Martyred Intellectuals Day. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>