The BNP on Wednesday paid tributes to martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Mirpur of Dhaka, marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day.
BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain along with senior party leaders placed the wreaths and stood in solemn silence there for some time as a mark of respect to the great national heroes who had lost their lives for the country.
BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Vice Chairman Barrister Shahjahan Omar, Dr AZM Zahid, BNP chairperson's adviser Amanullah Aman, Abul Khayer Bhuiyan and Organizing Secretary Sayed Emran Saleh Prince were, among others, present.
Later, different associate bodies of the party also placed wreaths at the memorial, paying homage to the martyred intellectuals.
On the night of December 14, 1971, over 200 intellectuals, including educationists, journalists, litterateurs, writers, physicians, scientists, lawyers, artists, philosophers and political thinkers were picked up in Dhaka by Pakistani occupation forces, aided by their local collaborators.
The BNP kept the national flag at half-mast and hoisted black flags atop all its offices, including the Naya Paltan central office.
Besides, the party organized a discussion at the National Press Club in the afternoon in observance of the day.
Later, talking to reporters, Mosharraf alleged that the government has shattered the dreams of the freedom fighters and the martyred intellectuals by destroying democracy.
“Not just us, the entire world is saying this government has snatched our constitutional and fundamental rights to hang onto power by force,” he said.
The BNP leader said the people have already given a verdict through BNP's 10 mass rallies that the Awami League government has annihilated democracy and ruined the country's economy through plundering. “They (govt) will not be able to restore democracy and people's rights. So the people want to oust this regime.”
He said they want to take back Bangladesh for which the freedom fighters and the martyred intellectuals sacrificed their lives and where democracy will be properly practised and the people will be able to cast their votes and elect the representatives of their choice.
