Staff Reporter :Leaders of different political parties and socio-cultural organisations, academics, freedom fighters and family members of the martyred intellectuals on Monday demanded of the government to bring to justice the culprits responsible for killing intellectuals just ahead of the country’s great Victory Day. They also demanded a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, the party which was involved with war crimes and government control over all organisations run by Jamaat.They came up with the demand after paying profound tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur and Rayer Bazar on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day.Daughter of martyred intellectual Dr Alim Chowdhury, Nuzhat Chowdhury, termed this year’s December 14 as different, expressing her satisfaction over the execution Al-Badr commander Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed who led the brutal killing of the illustrated sons of the soil just two days before of the victory. “Although the Martyred Intellectuals Day is being observed since independence of the country with deep shock, this year is different. This year I’m happy as I have witnessed that the Al-Badr commander Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed had been executed. We are hopeful that this government will also try the rest of war criminals,” Nuzhat Chowdhury said.In the morning, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur.The President placed the wreaths to pay his homage to the great heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the country and the nation. He later stood in solemn silence there for some time as the bugle played the last post.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of respect to the memories of the illustrious sons of the soil after placing the wreath.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haq received President Abdul Hamid Hamid at the memorial site. Cabinet members and chiefs of the three services were present. Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia along with her party’s senior leaders paid tributes to martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur. Khaleda Zia placed wreaths to pay her homage to the great heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the country and the nation.Since morning, people from all walks of life, including family members of the martyred intellectuals, leaders and workers of different political parties and socio-cultural organisations, professional bodies and institutions, started thronging at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur and Rayer Bazar where Bangalee intellectuals, including professors, journalists, doctors, artistes, engineers and writers, were taken blindfolded and later executed en masse.Talking to journalists Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said Jamaat-e-Islami would be banned soon.”We would like to make our stand clear that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will confiscate all war criminals’ properties and Jamaat-e-Islami will have no right to do politics in the country. Jamaat will be banned soon,” he said.Sector Commander Forum (SCF) and Projonmo’71, a platform of children of the martyrs in the war for independence formed a human chain to protest the conspiracy hatched at home and abroad against the International Crimes Tribunal. Martyred intellectuals Sirajudddin Ahmed’s son Zahid Reza Nur and Touhid Reza Nur, Dr Alim Chowdhury’s daughter Nuzhat Chowdhury, Journalist Selima Parveen’s son Suman Zahid took part in the human chain.Talking to journalists Awami League joint secretary general Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan was cut off in 1971.”After defeating the Pakistan and their local collaborators, Razakars, Al-Badr and Al-Shams, we have liberated our country. We are not thinking about the Pakistan right now as the country has already been turned into failed one,” he said.Referring to Jamaat-e-Islami, he said, the High Court has already cancelled the Jamaat registration. “A process is on to ban the Jamaat,” he said. Leaders and workers of Muktijoddha Central Command Council, Awami League associate bodies and student wing, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Engineers Institution, Dhaka Reporters Unity and students and teachers of different educational institutions also paid rich tributes to the martyred intellectuals.
