Martyred Intellectuals Day observed at DU

Dhaka University (DU) has observed Martyred Intellectuals Day with due solemnity on the campus. A discussion program was held at the Teacher-Student Centre around 11am with Vice-Chancellor (VC) Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman in the chair on Thursday. Pro-VC (Academic) Nasreen Ahmad, President of Teachers’ Association ASM Maksud Kamal, former general secretary Rahmat Ullah, Dhaka University Officers Association, and members of associations of different classes of employees of the university had joined the discussion. The university had hoisted black flags at the VC Bhaban and other main buildings at 6:15am. Later, the university authorities along with the students paid tribute to the martyred intellectuals at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Dhaka’s Mirpur. Special prayers were offered at the Central Mosque of the university along with the other mosques and places of worship of different faiths for peace upon the martyred souls. In the evening, Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS) had arranged a candle lightening program at the Smrity Chirantan memorial, adjacent to the VC’s residence, where monuments have been built to remember the 1971 martyrs from DU. Former DU VC Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique was present as the chief guest in the program. He said: “Intellectuals guided us during the Liberation War. There are a lot of war criminals who are staying out of the country. We want the authorities concerned to bring them back to the country and punish them for their crimes.” “We will have to put as much history as possible in the textbooks in order to keep the memories of the martyrs alive among the new generations,” Siddique added. On the occasion, Zahir Raihan’s son Anol Raihan, martyr journalist Selina Parvin’s son Sumon Zahid and martyr intellectual SMA Rashidul Hasan’s daughter Rokaiya Hasina Nili recalled the memories among others.