Shahid Intellectuals Day 2024 was celebrated at North South University (NSU) with various programs to pay tribute to the invaluable contribution of Shahid intellectuals in the freedom struggle.
On Saturday (December 14), a delegation from North South University paid their respects by laying wreaths at the Martyr Intellectuals Memorial at Roy Bazar in Dhanmondi.
It was attended by academic and administrative heads of the university, teachers, officers of North South University, faculty advisors, and members of the North South University Student Club.
In the afternoon a discussion meeting was organized in the NSU. Atiqur Rahman, director of NSU’s Economics Research Platform (ERP) was present as the keynote speaker on the occasion. NSU Vice-Chancellor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury presided over the event.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the Holy Quran was recited. Everyone observes a minute’s silence to pay respect to the memory of the martyrs.
Abdur Rob Khan Treasurer and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) of NSU delivered the welcome address on the occasion. He said, “Today I remember with deep respect all the intellectuals who were killed by the allies of the Pakistani invaders. We have to build a new Bangladesh keeping in mind the ideals for which they had to give their lives.”
In the main discussion professor Atiqur Rahman said, “Since the creation of Pakistan, those who were involved in various movements, those who were involved in the independence movement, those who were open-minded, those who were involved in the language movement, and those who were capable of leading in independent Bangladesh were identified and killed. It was not just death; it was sheer brutality.”
He further said, “We have to do more to fulfill the wishes of the martyred intellectuals. Work must be done to achieve social justice; work must be done to build an exploitation-free and economically balanced society on the basis of equality.”
Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury said, “Before the victory, the objective of the enemy was that even if this nation became independent, it could not develop intellectually or intellectually. It was a loss that we as a nation are still suffering from.”
He added, “If we look at the recent July uprising, it is clear that we are still struggling as a nation. Why does it take us 10-15 years to topple a dictatorial government? The reason lies in the long-term effects of that loss—the loss of our intellectual foundations. The intellectuals who could have guided this nation were taken away from us, leaving us vulnerable and unable to effectively challenge authoritarian and fascist regimes.”