CA honors martyred intellectuals
Chief Adviser (CA) Professor Muhammad Yunus today paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals of 1971 on the occasion of the Martyred Intellectuals Day to be observed tomorrow. On the eve of the day, the Chief Adviser issued a message saying: “Martyred Intellectuals Day is an occasion of profound sorrow and disgrace in the history of Bangladesh." “In the final days of the great Liberation War, when defeat was inevitable, the Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators brutally killed the country's intellectuals in an attempt to cripple Bangladesh intellectually,” he said. "On this tragic day, I pay my deepest respects to the martyred intellectuals and all valiant martyrs of the Liberation War and I pray for the eternal peace and salvation of their departed souls," the Chief Adviser said.
He said the martyred intellectuals were frontline warriors in the country's struggle of ideas against the oppressive Pakistani regime. "Through their intellect, wisdom, cultural pursuits and powerful writings, our intellectuals played a pivotal role in uniting the nation and mobilising public opinion in favour of the Liberation War," said Dr Yunus. “Their intellectual and strategic guidance to the wartime government also made invaluable contributions to steering the nation towards victory,” he said.
Dr Yunus said, “On the eve of the Bengali nation's triumph, the occupation forces and their collaborators abducted and brutally murdered patriotic academics, journalists, writers, physicians, scientists, lawyers, artists, engineers, philosophers, politicians, thinkers and countless other enlightened minds.” “Through this premeditated and barbaric massacre, the anti-liberation forces sought to render Bangladesh intellectually barren, but ultimately failed,” said Dr Yunus. "Our martyred intellectuals had envisioned a democratic, developed and prosperous Bangladesh," he continued.
The present Interim Government, formed through the July uprising, has embarked on building a just and equitable new Bangladesh with the support of the entire nation, said the Chief Adviser.
"I firmly believe that through these efforts, we will be able to fulfill the cherished lifelong dream of our martyred intellectuals," he said.
"Let us all unite anew on Martyred Intellectuals Day. Through our collective efforts, let us build a developed and prosperous Bangladesh for the future,” Dr Yunus said.
