Martyred intellectuals

The plan of the occupation army and its supporters was to orphan the nation which would certainly need the sagacity and wisdom of its worthy sons to move ahead in the early days of its independence. But what they overlooked is that the teachings and ideals of the intellectuals, who dreamt of an independent Bangladesh, could not be destroyed by the assassins' bullets. The martyred intellectuals have a permanent place in the hearts and minds of people of this country. The lesson to be learned from the day is that men of character, wisdom and commitment to society cannot be defeated.

December 14 rekindles the memories of the martyrs and also reminds us of the unfinished job of building a happy and prosperous nation that they cherished so ardently as teachers, academicians, doctors, writers and, above all, true patriots.

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The best way to pay tributes to the martyrs is to remove the social discrepancies and discriminations which amount to violation of people's rights. The need for having men like the one we lost on that dreadful night cannot be overemphasized, not least because we are passing through a crisis emanating, by and large, from degeneration in almost every sphere of our national life. However, we can still overcome the difficulties by remaining faithful to the teachings of the martyred intellectuals.

It is time we took a stroll down memory lane and ask ourselves what we have done to honour the supreme sacrifice that they made for the nation. Our commitment in this respect must go beyond observing a day devoted to the souls of the martyrs.