But this time, on Saturday, the people will pay respects to the martyred intellectuals amid joy tinged with the fear of reprisal after the Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla’s hanging.
On Thursday, Bangladesh saw the first execution of a war criminal 42 years after the genocide, helping the nation wash off its stain to some extent.
The Jamaat Assistant Secretary General was one of the leaders of Al-Badr during the War of Independence. Molla had ordered the assassination of poet Meherunnesa in Dhaka's Mirpur and genocide at Keraniganj.
People from the broader social spectrum will pay homage to the martyrs assassinated just two days before the final victory after a bloody nine-month war.
Sensing a humiliating defeat, the retreating Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators--Razakars, Al-Badr and Al-Shams-- abducted, blindfolded the frontline Bangalee intellectuals and worthy professionals including academics, doctors, engineers, journalists and teachers from their houses in Dhaka on Dec 14, 1971.
They then tortured and assassinated them with the intention to intellectually cripple the newborn nation.
The martyred intellectuals included Prof Muneir Chowdhury, Dr Alim Chowdhury, Prof Muniruzzaman, Dr Fazle Rabbi, Sirajuddin Hossain, Shahidullah Kaiser, Prof GC Dev, JC Guha Thakurta, Prof Santosh Bhattacharya and Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury.
Their bodies were dumped at Rayerbazar, Mirpur and a few other places in the capital.
Two days later, the Pakistani forces led by General Ameer Abdullah Khan Niazi surrendered, leading to the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent state.
On the eve of the Day, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages paid rich tributes to the memories of the martyred intellectuals.
The President said that the intellectuals had played a very significant role and worked as the conscience of the nation in advancing the Liberation War towards its successful end.
The Prime Minister termed the day a painful event in the history of the liberation struggle of the Bangalee nation.
Hasina said the anti-liberation forces wanted to deprive the nation of its best brains by killing them when they sensed their defeat.
She renewed the resolve to execute the verdicts of those convicted of crimes against humanity during the war in 1971.
The Prime Minister said, "Those trying to protect these war criminals will also be tried one day. The souls of the martyred intellectuals will find peace through execution of these verdicts."
Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia in her message paid deep respect to the best sons of the soil.
The day's programme begins with the President and Prime Minister placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur early in the morning on Saturday.
President Hamid will be the first to lay wreaths, followed by Hasina at 7:05am.
Later, the memorial will open to different political and socio-cultural organisations as well as the people from all walks of life.
A host of political parties and socio-cultural organisations and professional bodies will place wreaths at the Memorial and Martyed Intellectuals’ Graveyard at Rayerbazar, hold discussions, seminars, and say special prayers.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar (Radio) and private television and radio stations will air special programmes, while newspapers will bring out special supplements highlighting the significance of the day.
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