On this day in 1971, country’s renowned academicians, doctors, engineers, journalists, artists, teachers and other eminent personalities were dragged out of their homes, blindfolded and taken to unknown places and then brutally tortured and slaughtered.

Their bodies were later dumped at Rayerbazar, Mirpur and some other killing fields in the capital.

Sensing an imminent defeat, the Pakistani forces and local collaborators like Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Razakar forces committed the cold-blooded mass murders aiming to annihilate the country's intelligentsia and cripple the emerging Bangladesh intellectually.

Among the martyred intellectuals are Prof Munier Chowdhury, Dr Alim Chowdhury, Prof Muniruzzaman, Dr Fazle Rabbi, Sirajuddin Hossain, Shahidullah Kaiser, Prof GC Dev, JC GuhaThakurta, Prof Santosh Bhattacharya, Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury, journalists Khandaker Abu Taleb, Nizamuddin Ahmed, SA Mannan (LaduBhai), ANM Golam Mustafa, Syed Nazmul Haq and Selina Parvin.

The government has chalked out elaborate programmes to commemorate the December 14 tragedy.

Family members of the martyred and freedom fighters placed wreaths at Martyred Intellectuals Memorial and people from all walks of life are paying  tributes by placing wreaths at the memorial in Mirpur and Rayerbazar Killing Ground at Mohammadpur from 8:30 am.

Besides, different socio-cultural and political organisations have taken  various programmes that include seminars, discussions on the occasion.

Bangladesh Television and private television channels are airing special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.