‘Killings of intellectuals not stopped yet’

Marking the date in 1971 when many intellectuals were rounded up and massacred by the occupation forces and their collaborators, people from different walks of life said the desired goals of the independence movement can still be found in the youth of today. “We have achieved our independence but we have not got the freedom yet," Sumon Jahid, the son of martyred journalist Selina Parveen, told the Dhaka Tribune. "The killings of intellectuals in the country have not been stopped. The demand of the martyred families is to ban religion-based politics, confiscate looted wealth and rehabilitate the freedom fighters." The country’s bright souls, who paved the way for attaining independence, were university teachers, academics, researchers, doctors, engineers, poets, and journalists. They were killed by anti-liberation forces and many bodies were found in different places including in Dhaka’s Mirpur and Mohammadpur. Those martyred included Prof Mofazzal Haidar Chowdhury of Bangla Department of Dhaka University, Prof Munir Chowdhury, Prof Anwar Pasha, Prof Shahidullah Kaisar, Prof Gias Uddin, Dr Fazle Rabbi, Abdul Alim Chowdhury, Selina Parveen, Dr Joytirmay Guhathakurta, and Serajuddin Hossain. Journalist Zahid Reza Noor, son of martyred journalist Serajuddin Hossain, told the Dhaka Tribune they were paying their profound respects to the intellectuals who enlightened the nation with their thoughts, dreams and lives. “We want to go further to fulfil the dreams of the Liberation War,” he said while participating in a human chain programme organised by the Sector Commanders’ Forum in front of the Martyred Intellectuals Monument in Rayerbazar on Wednesday morning. Tahmina Khan, daughter of martyred Muksad Ali, said the struggle of existence had not ended yet. "But I believe in youths who will enlighten the nation with their thoughts in the days ahead," she said. "The economic base of fundamentalists, militant groups and political parties is needed to be broken first because this basement keeps them creating a world of darkness." Jharna Rahman said the "evils of 1971" still exist in Bangladesh society in various forms, and have been "killing thinkers, writers, and publishers". “The future is now in the hands of youth as they can rescue their nation as their ancestors did," she said. SA Haque Alik, the general secretary of Director's Guild, also said the gradual killing of intellectuals in the country has been ongoing.