Tarique Rahman, the Acting Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on Saturday paid tribute to the martyred intellectuals—including teachers, doctors, writers, journalists and artists—who were killed by the occupation forces and their collaborators on December 14, 1971.
He also offered prayers for the eternal peace of their departed souls.
In the post on his verified Facebook page, the BNP Acting Chairman said during the Great War of Liberation in 1971, intellectuals stood by the nation inspired by patriotism.
He wrote: "We pay deep homage to the martyred intellectuals—including teachers, doctors, writers, journalists and artists—who were killed by the occupation forces and their collaborators on December 14, 1971. We pray for the salvation of their departed souls.
December 14 is fundamentally about remembering the best sons of the nation. The martyred intellectuals, inspired by patriotism, stood by the people of the country. They protested against injustice and took up the pen in favour of independence. Their lives and work continue to inspire us today.
The killing of the country's intellectuals was a deep conspiracy to deprive the nation of its intellectual resources; the reason was to obstruct the victory of independence. The massacre of the nation's best sons on the eve of victory still still saddens the entire nation. However, the ideals they left behind—namely, the spirit of knowledge, science, free thought and harmony irrespective of religion, caste or creed—inspire the determination to build a developed and progressive nation. To build a modern democratic state was their ultimate goal.
But even after half a century, the dreams of the martyred intellectuals have not been realized. Democracy has repeatedly fallen into a death trap. The democratic development of the state has been thwarted by creating a atmosphere of one-party tyranny. Despite much bloodshed, the freedom of expression, writing and speech has not yet been liberated from the disaster of crisis.
However, only by establishing the rule of law, an independent judiciary and a multi-party political system following the fall of fascism in the July Mass Uprising can the ideals of the martyred intellectuals be realized.
On this mournful day, I call upon the countrymen: let us work together to build the Bangladesh that the martyred intellectuals envisioned.
I express my deepest sympathy to the families of the martyred intellectuals.
Allah Hafez, Bangladesh Zindabad."
