As the procession ended at fine arts institute some rickshaw-pullers and flag-hawkers joined the crowd and raised hands together making a vow to boycott the war criminals in the upcoming election and bring them to justice.
“We have taken an oath in the name of all martyrs of our long liberation struggles; in the name of the soil, water and air of Bangladesh; in the name of the child born today or to be born…. We will continue the struggle until the war criminals are brought to justice.”
These are the words of the “Oath of the Martyred Intellectuals Day” made at Bakultala at the Institute of Fine Arts, Dhaka University.
The oath was taken in the name of farmers, labours, poets, writers, song composers and revolutionary figures to build Bangladesh as a country free from exploitation, harassment and deprivation.
Noted intellectual Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury conducted the oath, while artist and Language Movement veteran Imdad Hossain, Prof Pias Karim, and Prof Asfar Hossain, among others, were present.
This was the scene on the DU campus as Banglar Sangskrity Andolan organised the programme commemorating the day.
The same scene was seen elsewhere at the Central Shaheed Minar and Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Rayer Bazar where sector commanders and city dwellers irrespective of age and religion vowed the same.
“We need not be frustrated as communalism still persists in our society. There cannot be any bigger flaw in a society like fundamentalism. But we have history to have our demands met through struggle and we will press home our present demand through the struggle again,” said Language Movement veteran Abdul Matin.
“This movement is to free our culture. This movement is to establish democracy and against capitalism. This movement is to free people and it will continue,” said Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury.
The Sector Commanders’ Forum in Rayer Bazar pledged once again to boycott the war criminals in the election and continue campaign against them in constituencies across the country.
“We fought the Liberation War and we are fighting now to bring the war criminals to justice. We will fight with the entire Bangladesh to press home our demand,” said Commander of Sector 4 Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta.
“We will request the people not to let any war criminals go to parliament as we have got our parliament in exchange of three million lives,” said Sector Commander Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah.
They also vowed to run a campaign against all the war criminals contesting the polls, especially against Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, supreme commander of Al Badr Bahini, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, head of Al Badr in Dhaka, and alleged war criminals Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury.
Different organisations placed floral wreaths at the memorial throughout the day.
Bikshubdha Deshbashi also brought out a flag procession from Central Shaheed Minar in the morning led by journalist Kamal Lohani urging people to boycott the war criminals in the election.
President Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed paid tribute to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the martyred intellectual mausoleum in Mirpur.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina also placed wreaths at the mausoleum, reports BSS.
Hundreds of mourners including freedom fighters, advisers, special assistants to the chief adviser, political leaders, and high civil and military officials visited the mausoleum.
DU PROGRAMMES
Martyred Intellectuals’ Day was observed at Dhaka University (DU) yesterday through different programmes.
Teachers, students and employees led by DU Vice-chancellor Prof SMA Faiz assembled at the foot of Aparajeo Bangla in the morning and brought out a silent procession, which paraded the campus streets.
They visited the mausoleums on the campus with the procession and placed wreaths there. They also went to Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals memorial and laid floral tribute to the nation’s bravest sons.
The DU authorities hoisted black flags on all the administrative buildings in the morning and held a discussion meeting at TSC auditorium in the afternoon.
Speaking at the discussion, VC Prof SMA Faiz said Dhaka University had made a big contribution to the country in 1971 and the university will take necessary steps to preserve the true history of liberation war and to present it to the next generation.
He said the university will install plaques with a list of names and addresses of the martyred teachers, students and employees at the entrances to the campus. Detailed information about the martyrs will also be given on the DU website.
The young generation can learn the history of liberation war as a University Museum and Archive is going to be set up in front of the Arts and Social Science Faculty on the campus, he added.
Other speakers called upon the people of the country to work together so that the dreams of the martyrs could be fulfilled.
DU pro-VC AFM Yusuf Haider, Dhaka University Teachers’ Association president Prof Sadrul Amin, Prof Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq, Prof Mansur Musa, Officers’ Association president Md Ashraf Uddin, Technical Employees Association president Md Shamsul Haq Khan, Commander of Dhaka University Freedom Fighters Aminul Haq and DU registrar Syed Rezaur Rahman, among others, spoke at the programme.
Besides, milad mahfils were arranged at University central mosque and hall mosques after Zohr prayers for the eternal peace of the departed souls. Special prayers were also arranged at other places of worship on the occasion.
bangladeshnews.com.bd
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