1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals
In 1971, the Pakistan Army and their local collaborators, most notably the extreme right wing militia group Al-Badr, engaged in the systematic execution of Bengali intellectuals during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. Bengali intellectuals were abducted, tortured and killed during the entire duration of the war as part of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. However, the largest number of systematic executions took place on 25 March and 14 December 1971, two dates that bookend the conflict. 14 December is commemorated in Bangladesh as Martyred Intellectuals Day.
| 1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide | |
A sculpture in Meherpur showing the execution of intellectuals by the Pakistan Army in 1971 | |
| Location | East Pakistan |
| Date | 25 March, 14 – 16 December 1971 |
| Target | Bengali intellectuals |
Attack type | Deportation, ethnic cleansing, mass murder |
| Deaths | 1,111[1] |
| Perpetrators | Pakistan Army |
Black Night of 25 March edit
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2015) |
On 25 March 1971, Pakistan army launched an extermination campaign, codenamed Operation Searchlight, against the Bengali people in East Pakistan.[2] A number of professors, physicians and journalists were abducted from their homes by armed Pakistani soldiers and their local collaborators, and executed during this operation and its aftermath.[3][4]
14 December executions edit
As the war neared its end and Pakistani surrender became apparent, the Pakistan Army made a final effort to eliminate the intelligentsia of the new nation of Bangladesh.[5] On 14 December 1971, over 200 Bengali intellectuals including professors, journalists, doctors, artists, engineers, and writers were abducted from their homes in Dhaka by the Al-Badr militia and the Pakistan Army. Notable novelist Shahidullah Kaiser and playwright Munier Choudhury were among the victims. They were taken blindfolded to torture cells in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other locations in different parts of the city. Later they were executed en masse, most notably at Rayerbazar and Mirpur. In memory of the martyred intellectuals, 14 December is mourned in Bangladesh as Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibosh, or Day of the Martyred Intellectuals.[6]
It is widely speculated that the killings of 14 December were orchestrated by Major General Rao Farman Ali. After the liberation of Bangladesh a list of Bengali intellectuals (most of whom were executed on 14 December) was discovered in a page of his diary left behind at the Governor's House. The existence of such a list was confirmed by Ali himself although he denied the motive of genocide. The same was also confirmed by Altaf Gauhar, a former Pakistani bureaucrat. He mentioned an incident in which Gauhar asked Ali to remove a friend's name from the list and Ali did so in his presence.[7]
Notable victims edit
Many notable intellectuals who were killed from 25 March to 16 December 1971 in different parts of the country include:
- Dr. Abul Fazal Ziaur Rahman (physician)[8]
- Dr. ABM Nurul Alam (physician)[9]
- A. B. M. Abdur Rahim (labor union leader)
- Dr. AFM Alim Chowdhury (ophthalmologist)
- Ataur Rahman Khan Khadim (physicist)[10]
- Dr. Atiqur Rahman (doctor)[11]
- Dr. Azharul Haque (doctor)[12]
- Dr. AKM Asadul Haq (doctor)
- Altaf Mahmud (lyricist and musician)
- ANM Golam Mostafa (journalist)
- ANM Muniruzzaman (statistician)[13]
- Dr. Anwar Pasha (Bengali litterateur)
- Dr. Ayesha Bedora Choudhury[14]
- Dhirendranath Datta (politician)
- Dr. Faizul Mahi (educator)
- Dr. Fazlur Rahman Khan (geologist)[15]
- Dr. Govinda Chandra Dev (philosophy)
- Dr. Ghyasuddin Ahmed (educationist)
- Dr. Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta (English literature)
- Anudvaipayan Bhattacharya (lecturer of physics)
- Dr. Jekrul Haque (physician)[16]
- Dr. Kalachand Roy (academic)[17]
- Harinath Dey (biochemist, research scientist)
- Khondakar Abu Taleb (journalist)[18]
- Khondakar Abul Kashem (historian)[19]
- Meherun Nesa (poet)
- Munier Chowdhury (Bengali literature)
- Dr. Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury (Bengali literature)
- Muhammad Habibar Rahman (mathematician)[20]
- Dr. Mohammad Sadat Ali (business)[21]
- Mohammad Shamshad Ali (physician)[22]
- Muhammad Shafi (dentist)[23]
- Md Meher Ali (Soil Scientist)
- Dr. M Abul Khair (history)
- M Anwarul Azim (industrial administrator)[24]
- Mir Abdul Qayyum (psychologist)[25]
- Dr. Mohammed Fazle Rabbee (cardiologist)
- Dr. Mohammad Mortaza (doctor)[26]
- Mohammad Moazzem Hossain (educationist)[27]
- Mohammad Aminuddin (lawyer)[28]
- Dr. Abdul Muktadir (geologist)[29]
- Nizamuddin Ahmed (journalist)[30]
- Nazmul Hoque Sarkar (lawyer)[31]
- Dr. Rashidul Hasan (English literature)
- Ranadaprasad Saha (philanthropist)[32][33]
- Dr. Rakhal Chandra Das (physician)[34]
- Sukharanjan Samaddar (Sanskrit)
- Jogesh Chandra Ghosh (scholar, Ayurveda practitioner, entrepreneur and philanthropist)
- Shahid Saber (journalist)
- Sheikh Abdus Salam (education)[35]
- Dr. Sirajul Haque Khan
- Dr. Santosh Chandra Bhattacharyya[36]
- Dr. Shamsuddin Ahmed[37]
- Laxman Das (wrestler, weight lifter, circus performer)
- Dr. Suleman Khan[38]
- Sultanuddin Ahmed (engineer)[39]
- Dr. Kosiruddin Talukder[40]
- Shahidullah Kaiser (journalist)
- Selina Parvin (journalist)
- Bishnu Chattopadhyay (freedom fighter and leader of peasant movement)
- Saroj Kumar Nath Adhikari (economics)
- Sheikh Abdul Mannan (journalist)[41]
- Dr. Shamsuddin Ahmed (physician)[42]
- Syed Nazmul Haque (journalist)
- Obaidur Rahim (journalist)
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (December 2015) |
Verdict on the killing edit
On 3 November 2013, a Special Court in Dhaka has sentenced two former leaders of the al-Badr killing squad to death for war crimes committed in December 1971. Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, based in London, and Ashrafuz Zaman Khan, based in the US, were sentenced in absentia after the court found that they were involved in the abduction and murders of 18 intellectuals – nine Dhaka University professors, six journalists and three physicians – in December 1971. Prosecutors said the killings were carried out between 10 and 15 December, when Pakistan was losing the war in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), and were part of a campaign intended to strip the newborn nation of its intellectuals.[43]
On 2 November 2014, International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh sentenced Mir Quasem Ali to death for war crimes which include the killings of intellectuals. It was proved in the tribunal that he was a key organiser of the Al-Badr, which planned and executed the killing of the intellectuals on 14 December 1971.[44][45]
Statistics edit
The number of intellectuals killed is estimated in Banglapedia[1] as follows:
- Academics – 991
- Journalists – 13
- Physicians – 49
- Lawyers – 42
- Others (litterateurs, artists and engineers) – 16
The district wise break-up of the number of martyred academicians and lawyers published in 1972[46] was as follows –
District and division Academics Lawyers Primary Secondary Higher secondary Dhaka 37 8 10 6 Faridpur 27 12 4 3 Tangail 20 7 2 Mymensingh 46 28 1 2 Dhaka Division 130 55 17 10 Chittagong 39 16 7 1 Chittagong Hill Tracts 9 4 1 1 Sylhet 19 7 2 Comilla 45 33 1 4 Noakhali 26 13 4 2 Chittagong Division 138 73 13 10 Khulna 48 15 2 2 Jessore 55 31 5 4 Barisal 50 21 4 Patuakhali 3 1 Kushtia 28 13 4 Khulna Division 184 81 15 6 Rajshahi 39 8 3 5 Rangpur 41 22 9 4 Dinajpur 50 10 1 2 Bogra 14 12 2 Pabna 43 9 1 2 Rajshahi Division 187 61 14 15 Bangladesh 639 270 59 41 Martyred academicians (not affiliated to universities) = 968 Martyred university teachers = 21 Total martyred academicians = 989
Administrative districts and divisions mentioned here are as they were in 1972.
Denial of genocidal intent edit
In a 2018 article Christian Gerlach rejected the claims of coordinated attempt to exterminate the Bengali intelligentsia by using statistical measures: "if one accepts the data published by the Bangladesh propaganda ministry, 4.2 per cent of all university professors were killed, along with 1.4 per cent of all college teachers, 0.6 per cent of all secondary and primary school teachers, and 0.6 per cent of all teaching personnel. On the basis of the aforementioned Ministry of Education data, 1.2 per cent of all teaching personnel were killed. This is hardly proof of an extermination campaign."[47]
Commemoration edit
Martyred Intellectuals Day is held annually to commemorate the victims. In Dhaka, hundreds of thousands of people walk to Mirpur to lay flowers at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial. The president and the prime minister of Bangladesh and heads of all three wings of the Bangladesh armed forces pay homage at the memorial.[48]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Khan, Muazzam Hussain (2012). "Killing of Intellectuals". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ Ganguly, Sumit (2002). Conflict Unending: India-Pakistan Tensions Since 1947. Columbia University Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-231-12369-3.
- ^ Annual Report: Dhaka University 1971–72, Dr. Mafijullah Kabir
- ^ "Telegram 978 From the Consulate General in Dacca to the Department of State, March 29, 1971, 1130Z" (PDF). US Department of State. (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
- ^ Hensher, Philip (19 February 2013). "The war Bangladesh can never forget". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
- ^ . News Today. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ Mamoon, Muntassir; translation by Kushal Ibrahim (June 2000). The Vanquished Generals and the Liberation War of Bangladesh (First ed.). Somoy Prokashon. p. 29. ISBN 984-458-210-5.
- ^ "Rahman, Abul Fazal Ziaur". Banglapedia. from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "Alam, ABM Nurul". Banglapedia. from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ "Khadim, Ataur Rahman Khan". Banglapedia. from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
- ^ "Rahman, Atiqur". Banglapedia. from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Haque, Azharul". Banglapedia. from the original on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ "Muniruzzaman, ANM". Banglapedia. from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "Choudhury, Ayesha Bedora". Banglapedia. from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ "Khan, Fazlur Rahman2". Banglapedia. from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Haque, Jekrul". Banglapedia. from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "My great mentor, Dr Kalachand Roy". The Daily Star. 14 December 2017. from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- ^ "Taleb, Khondakar Abu". Banglapedia. from the original on 21 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Kashem, Khondakar Abul". Banglapedia. from the original on 21 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Rahman, Muhammad Habibar". Banglapedia. from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ "Ali, Mohammad Sadat". Banglapedia. from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
- ^ "Ali, Mohammad Shamshad". Banglapedia. from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "Shafi, Muhammad". Banglapedia. from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "Azim, M Anwarul". Banglapedia. from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
- ^ "Qayyum, Mir Abdul". Banglapedia. from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "Mortaza, Mohammad". Banglapedia. from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "Hossain, Mohammad Moazzem". Banglapedia. from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ "Aminuddin, Muhammad". Banglapedia. from the original on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ Chowdhury, Sifatul Quader (2012). "Muktadir, Md Abdul". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ "Story of a Martyred Intellectual of 71's war". 13 December 2007. from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ "Sarkar, Nazmul Hoque". Banglapedia. from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ . Daily Sun. Dhaka. 3 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ Khan, Tamanna (4 November 2013). "It was matricide". The Daily Star. from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ "Das, Rakhal Chandra". Banglapedia. from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ "Salam, Sheikh Abdus". Banglapedia. from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ "Gallows for Mueen, Ashraf". The Daily Star. 3 November 2013. from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ "Ahmed, Shamsuddin3". Banglapedia. from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "Khan, Suleman". Banglapedia. from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
- ^ "Ahmed, Sultanuddin2". Banglapedia. from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ "Talukder, Kosiruddin". Banglapedia. from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
- ^ "Mannan, Sheikh Abdul". Banglapedia. from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
- ^ "Ahmed, Shamsuddin3". Banglapedia. from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "UK Muslim leader Chowdhury Mueen Uddin sentenced to death in Bangladesh". The Independent. 3 November 2013. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Bangladesh Islamist party leader files appeal against death penalty". Shanghai Daily. from the original on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ "War trial: Mir Quasem verdict Sunday". The Daily Star. 30 October 2014. from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ Bangladesh – The Victory Day Memento published by the government of People's Republic of Bangladesh, 16 December 1972; Editor – Syed Ali Ahsan
- ^ Gerlach, Christian (20 July 2018). "East Pakistan/Bangladesh 1971–1972: How Many Victims, Who, and Why?". The Civilianization of War the Changing Civil–Military Divide, 1914–2014: 116–140. doi:10.1017/9781108643542.007. ISBN 9781108643542.
- ^ "Nation observes new-dimension Martyred Intellectuals' Day". The Daily Star. 14 December 2013. from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2012.