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Martyred Intellectuals Day ( bn, শহীদ বুদ্ধিজীবী দিবস, Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibôsh) is observed on 14 December in Bangladesh to commemorate those intellectuals who were killed by Pakistani forces and their collaborators during the
Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Benga ...
, particularly on 25 March and 14 December 1971. The killings were undertaken with the goal of annihilating the intellectual class of what was then East Pakistan. Two days after the events of 14 December, on
16 December Events Pre-1600 * 714 – Pepin of Herstal, mayor of the Merovingian palace, dies at Jupille (modern Belgium). He is succeeded by his infant grandson Theudoald, while his widow Plectrude holds actual power in the Frankish Kingdom. * 75 ...
, Bangladesh became independent through the surrender of Pakistani forces.


History

The
Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Benga ...
against the country West Pakistan, began on 26 March 1971, grew into the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and ended with the victory of Bangladesh on 16 December 1971. On 14 December, sensing imminent defeat, Pakistani forces and their local collaborators—
Shanti committee East Pakistan Central Peace Committee ( bn, পূর্ব পাকিস্তান কেন্দ্রীয় শান্তি কমিটি; ur, مشرقی پاکستان مرکزی امن کمیٹی), also known as the Nagorik Shan ...
,
Razakars Razakar (رضا کار) is etymologically an Arabic word which literally means volunteer. The word is also common in Urdu language as a loanword. On the other hand, in Bangladesh, razakar is a pejorative word meaning a traitor or Judas. In Pakista ...
,
Al-Badr Al Badr is a village in Mecca Province, in western Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making ...
and
Al-Shams Al-Shams is the Arabic word for "the sun" () and may refer to: * Ash-Shams, the 91st Sura of the Quran * Shamash, the Semitic Sun god * Ain Shams University, a university located in Cairo, Egypt * Majdal Shams, a Druze town in the Golan Heights (Mi ...
—abducted and killed front-line Bengali intellectuals and professionals in order to cripple the new nation intellectually. Renowned academics, teachers, intellectuals, doctors, engineers, journalists, and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their houses, blindfolded, and killed. Their bodies were dumped in Rayerbazar, Mirpur, and other killing grounds in Dhaka just two days ahead of the final victory of the war. During the nine-month duration of the war, the Pakistani Army, with the assistance of local collaborators systematically executed an estimated 991 teachers, 13 journalists, 49 physicians, 42 lawyers, and 16 writers, artists and engineers. Even after the official ending of the war on 16 December there were reports of killings being committed by either the armed Pakistani soldiers or by their collaborators. In one such incident, notable filmmaker
Jahir Raihan Mohammad Zahirullah (19 August 1935 – disappeared 30 January 1972), known as Zahir Raihan, was a Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker. He is most notable for his documentary ''Stop Genocide'' (1971), made during the Bangladesh Liberation ...
was killed on 30 January 1972 in Mirpur allegedly by the armed Beharis. In memory of the persons who were killed, 14 December is observed in Bangladesh as ''Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibôsh'' (Day of the Martyred Intellectuals). Notable intellectuals who were killed during the time period of 25 March to 16 December 1971 in different parts of the country include Dhaka University professors Govinda Chandra Dev (philosophy),
Munier Chowdhury Munier Choudhury (27 November 192514 December 1971) was a Bangladeshi educationist, playwright, literary critic and political dissident. He was a victim of the 1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals, mass killing of Bangladeshi intellectuals in 1 ...
(Bengali literature),
Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury (22 July 1926 – 14 December 1971) was a prominent Bengali essayist, prized scholar of Bengali literature, educator and linguist of the Bengali language. Early life and education Born in Khalishpur village, in Noakhal ...
(Bengali literature),
Anwar Pasha Anwar Pasha (1928–1971) was a Bangladeshi novelist. He was killed in 1971. Life Anwar Pasha was born in the village Dabkai in Murshidabad (currently in West Bengal, India). He passed the High Madrassah examination in 1946 then went on to do ...
(Bengali literature), Abul Khair (history), Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta (English literature), Humayun Kabir (English literature),
Rashidul Hasan SMA Rashidul Hasan (193214 December 1971) was a Bengali educationist. He was born in the district of Birbhum, West Bengal. In 1949, he migrated to East Pakistan. He was awarded Independence Day Award in 2018 posthumously by the Government of Bangla ...
(English literature),
Ghyasuddin Ahmed Ghyasuddin Ahmed, ( bn, গিয়াসউদ্দিন আহমেদ;1935 – 14 December 1971) was a Bengali educator. Early life Ahmed was born in the district of Narsingdi in 1935. He passed matriculation by obtaining eighth place from ...
,
Sirajul Haque Khan Sirajul Haque Khan, (1924 – 14 December 1971) born in the district of Noakhali, was a Bengali educationist and martyred intellectual of 1971. Education Khan graduated from college in 1949 and obtained an M.Ed. degree from Institute of Education ...
, Faizul Mahi,
Santosh Chandra Bhattacharyya Santosh Chandra Bhattacharyya ( bn, সন্তোষচন্দ্র ভট্টাচার্য) (30 August 1915 – 14 December 1971) was a senior lecturer of the department of history at the University of Dhaka, who was killed by an Al B ...
and Saidul Hassan (physics), Rajshahi University professors Hobibur Rahman (mathematics), Sukhranjan Somaddar (Sanskrit), and Mir Abdul Quaiyum (psychology), as well as Mohammed Fazle Rabbee (cardiologist),
AFM Alim Chowdhury Abul Fayez Mohammad Abdul Alim Chowdhury (1928–1971) was an eye specialist in Bangladesh. He was abducted by the Al-Badr militia as part of a plan to kill the renowned intellectuals of the country and was found dead on December 18, 1971, at Rayer ...
(ophthalmologist),
Shahidullah Kaiser Shahidullah Kaiser (16 February 1927 – disappeared 14 December 1971) was a Bangladeshi novelist and writer. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1969, Ekushey Padak in 1983 and Independence Day Award in 1998. Early life and educat ...
(journalist),
Nizamuddin Ahmed Nizamuddin Ahmed, ( bn, নিজাম উদ্দিন আহমেদ; c. 1929 – 12 December 1971) was a Bangladeshi journalist. On 12 December 1971, he was abducted and killed by an Al-Badr activists team. He was awarded Ekushey Padak posth ...
(journalist), Selina Parvin (journalist),
Altaf Mahmud Altaf Mahmud ( bn, আলতাফ মাহমুদ; 23 December 1933 – September 1971) was a musician, cultural activist, and martyred freedom fighter of the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was also a language activist of the Language Movement ...
(lyricist and musician),
Dhirendranath Datta Dhirendranath Datta (2 November 1886 – disappeared 29 March 1971) was a Bengali lawyer by profession who was also active in the politics of undivided Bengal in pre-partition India, and later in East Pakistan (1947–1971). Early life Datta ...
(politician),
Jahir Raihan Mohammad Zahirullah (19 August 1935 – disappeared 30 January 1972), known as Zahir Raihan, was a Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker. He is most notable for his documentary ''Stop Genocide'' (1971), made during the Bangladesh Liberation ...
(novelist, journalist, and film director) and
Ranadaprasad Saha Ranadaprasad Shaha (also RP Shaha; 15 November 1896 – May 1971) was a Bangladeshi businessman and philanthropist. He founded educational institutes like Bharateswari Homes, Kumudini College and Debendra College. During the Bangladesh Liberat ...
(philanthropist).


Memorial

In memory of those killed, a memorial known as the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial (''Badhya Bhumi Smriti Soudha'') was built at Rayer Bazaar, Mohammadpur Thana in Dhaka, in 1996–99. The memorial was designed by architect Farid U Ahmed and Jami Al Shafi.Seven Icons of History at Dhaka
/ref> The initial proposal for a memorial at Rayer Bazar was brought forward by Projonmo 71 (organisation of the children of the martyrs of liberation war), who also laid a temporary foundation stone in 1991.


See also

* Operation Searchlight *
1971 Bangladesh genocide The genocide in Bangladesh began on 25 March 1971 with the launch of Operation Searchlight, as the government of Pakistan, dominated by West Pakistan, began a military crackdown on East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to suppress Bengali peopl ...
* Bengali Genocide Remembrance Day *
Rape during the Bangladesh Liberation War During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, members of the Pakistani military and Razakars raped between 200,000 and 400,000 Bangladeshi women and girls in a systematic campaign of genocidal rape. Most of the rape victims of the Pakistani Army ...


References

{{Intellectualism Remembrance days December observances 1971 Bangladesh genocide Aftermath of the Bangladesh Liberation War Persecution of intellectuals