Families allege young people not being told properly about martyred intellectuals

The families of the martyred intellectuals have alleged that the sacrifice of the nation’s most brilliant minds is not being presented to the young generation correctly.

The families of three martyrs, who were among the sharpest minds of the nation killed on Dec 14 the 1971 Liberation War, raised the allegation at a Martyred Intellectuals Day programme on Thursday.

Sensing defeat, the Pakistani forces and their local collaborators carried out the killings only two days before Bangladesh in an effort to deprive the emerging nation of its intellect.

The people on Thursday remembered the victims of the killings of the day by placing flowers at the memorials raised on the killing grounds at Mirpur and Rayerbazar in Dhaka.

Among the a raft of programmes by social and cultural organisations and political parties, Shilpakala Academy organised the event at its National Theatre in the evening.

Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, widow of martyred doctor Alim Chowdhury, said, “We feel sad now that we didn’t get the country we wanted in 1971.” 

“The people don’t know about the ideals, tradition of those who sacrificed their lives for the country. It (not knowing history) has caused harm to the enation,” she said.

She also said the rulers, who came to power after the assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, took the country ‘50 years backwards’ by fawning ant-liberation forces.

Martyred journalist Serajuddin Hossain’s son Shaheen Reza Noor asked, “What environment could today’s Bangladesh create so that their baton can be carried throughout generations?”

He demanded a day be declared in recognition of the hard work done by the widows of the martyrs to raise their children after independence.

Martyr Munier Chowdhury’s son Asif Munier said there were many people who have direct knowledge of the works and lives of the martyred intellectuals.

“We can organise a big programme so that they can speak to the youths,” he advised.

Prof Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury, speaking at the event chaired by Shilpakala Academy Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, called for more involvement of the young generations to spread the history of the martyred intellectuals.

A cultural event was also held after the discussion.