During the nine-month Liberation War, occupation forces and their Bangla-speaking collaborators, including Al-Badr, Al-Shams, and the Razakars, carried out systematic killings.
However, 14 December marked a deliberate, large-scale massacre aimed at depriving the newly emerging nation of its intellectual leaders.
National programmes have been organised to observe the day with due solemnity. Political parties and socio-cultural organisations have also prepared various events in commemoration.
Official commemorations and programmes
On the eve of the day, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus issued separate messages, paying profound respect to the martyred intellectuals. As part of the official programme, the President will lay a wreath at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at 7:05am, followed by the chief adviser at 7:06am. The ceremonies will be broadcast live on Bangladesh Television and other private channels.
Under the guidance of the Liberation War affairs adviser, families of the martyred intellectuals, along with wounded and veteran freedom fighters, will lay wreaths at the Mirpur Memorial at 7:22am and at the Rayer Bazar Killing Ground Memorial at 8:30am.
Members of the public, alongside various organisations, will also pay their respects at 8:30am.
Discussions on the day’s significance will take place at district and upazila levels, with special programmes aired on Bangladesh Betar, BTV, and private channels.
National newspapers will publish supplements highlighting the day. Special prayers will be held at mosques, temples, churches, pagodas, and other places of worship.
The Bangla Academy has planned a series of events, including wreath-laying ceremonies at both Mirpur and Rayer Bazar at 8am, followed by a discussion at 4pm in the Poet Shamsur Rahman seminar room.
The event will be presided over by Director General Prof Mohammad Azam, with Secretary Dr Md Selim Reza delivering the welcome address.
Speakers include Hasanath Kayum, Prof Swadhin Sen of Jahangirnagar University, Dr Navine Murshid of Colgate University, USA, and writer-artist Arup Rahee.
Writer and researcher Tahmidal Zami will present the keynote paper, “The Speech and Life of the Intellectuals”. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has urged the public to avoid using microphones or loudspeakers near the memorials to maintain the solemnity of the occasion.
Tarique pays tribute to martyred intellectuals
On the eve of Martyred Intellectuals Day, BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman paid heartfelt tribute to the teachers, doctors, writers, journalists, and artists who were brutally killed on 14 December 1971.
In his message, Tarique emphasised that the true aspirations of the martyred intellectuals can only be fulfilled through the restoration of the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and a pluralistic political system.  He called upon citizens to unite in honour of the sacrifices made by these visionaries, stressing that their commitment to free thought, justice, and the progress of the nation continues to guide and inspire Bangladesh today.
Tarique also highlighted the ongoing challenges to democracy, warning that one-party misrule and curbs on freedom of expression undermine the very ideals for which the intellectuals laid down their lives.
He extended his profound sympathy to the families of the martyred intellectuals and urged the nation to collectively work towards realising their dream of a modern, democratic Bangladesh.
Jamaat urges observing Martyred Intellectuals Day and Victory Day with solemnity
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami called on the nation to observe Martyred Intellectuals Day and Victory Day on 16 December with due solemnity.
Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqul Rahman urged citizens to participate in discussions, rallies, and prayers across the country to pay homage to the martyred intellectuals and freedom fighters.
Jamaat leaders condemned the killings as a meticulously planned conspiracy designed to deprive Bangladesh of its brightest minds at a critical juncture in the Liberation War. They emphasised that recognising the historical truth and pursuing justice are essential for national reconciliation.
To this end, Jamaat announced a series of nationwide programmes, including discussion forums in Dhaka, prayer sessions in mosques and seminaries, and commemorative gatherings in districts and upazilas.
The party also highlighted the importance of civic engagement, education, and awareness in preserving the memory of the martyrs while fostering unity and social stability, particularly at a time when the nation continues to face political and economic challenges.
Islami Andolan commemorates the martyrs
Islami Andolan Bangladesh, led by Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, also called upon citizens to observe Martyred Intellectuals Day with respect and solemnity.
In a statement, he condemned the 1971 killings as a deliberate attempt to undermine the nation’s intellectual and moral backbone and urged people to pray for the departed souls.
The party announced nationwide discussions and prayer sessions to honour the martyred intellectuals and promote reflection on the sacrifices that paved the way for Bangladesh’s independence.
Historical significance of the day
Martyred Intellectuals Day remains one of the most poignant days in Bangladesh’s history.
In the final days of the Liberation War, as victory approached, Razakars, Al-Badr, Al-Shams, and Peace Committee members carried out the systematic killings of intellectuals. According to the nationally published 1972 collection, contemporary reports, and international journalist Nicholas Tomalin in Newsweek, the total number of martyred intellectuals reached as high as 1,070.
These intellectuals had guided the independence movement with their ideas, writings, and courage. Their brutal killing, which began on 10 December and continued through the night of 14 December, was intended to undermine the birth of an independent Bangladesh. The first Martyred Intellectuals Memorial was built in Mirpur, Dhaka, in their memory.
Al-Badr, the most brutal auxiliary force of the Pakistan army, was specifically formed to carry out these killings, according to some historians.
Drawing on the name of the Battle of Badr – a seminal event in the early years of Prophet Muhammad’s prophethood revered by Muslims as a divinely aided struggle for justice – Al-Badr sought to cloak its political objectives in religious legitimacy, justifying its betrayal and atrocities during the Liberation War.
Composed largely of members of Jamaat-e-Islami’s then student wing, Islami Chhatra Sangha, Al-Badr orchestrated a calculated campaign targeting Bangalee intellectuals – thinkers and visionaries who had guided the independence movement. The aim was to cripple the emerging nation, particularly in the final months of the war.
According to wartime documents recovered after independence, Al-Badr operatives carried out killings planned by the Pakistan army, while university students and journalists familiar with urban areas were recruited to abduct the targeted intellectuals.
This allowed the Pakistani army to avoid direct involvement and the risk of exposure.
Leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami submitted plans for eliminating intellectuals to Rao Farman Ali, who decided to rely on Al-Badr for executing the systematic killings.
Liberation war researcher Afsan Chowdhury explained that Al-Badr primarily operated in urban areas, while the Razakars assisted the army in rural regions.
The force was composed of “tested” members of Islami Chhatra Sangha who were tasked with identifying, interrogating, and monitoring pro-liberation elements, ensuring the massacre was carried out efficiently and secretly.