DHAKA: The nation is set to observe the Martyred Intellectuals Day on Sunday (December 14).

The day is observed on 14 December in Bangladesh to commemorate the systematic execution of Bengali pro-liberation intellectuals during the Bangladesh liberation war of 1971 by the Pakistan Army and their local collaborators, most notably the Al-Badr.

The great sons of the soil were killed with an evil motive to make the Bengali nation meritless just two days before the country earned its victory.

The day’s programme will begin with the President and prime minister placing floral wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial at Mirpur in the capital. 

Later, people from all walks of life will pay their pride-filled respects to the memorial in the morning.

President M Abdul Hamid on Saturday paid profound respect to the great sons of the country on the occasion of the Martyred Intellectuals Day.

In a message, the President urged the people to come forward being inspired with the spirit of Liberation War to build a knowledge-based happy and prosperous country.

He said intellectuals had played a very significant role and worked as the conscience of the nation in advancing the Liberation War towards the successful end.

But it is unfortunate for the nation, the President said, the occupation forces had brutally killed those intellectuals, including academics, physicians, litterateurs, journalists, artists and such other professionals at the peak hours of the victory.

The main aim of the occupation forces was to make the nation intellectually crippled, he added.

BDST: 2159 HRS, DEC 14, 2014