Dhaka: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday paid tributes to martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day.

Khaleda Zia placed wreaths at about 10:15am to pay her homage to the great heroes.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP standing committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Dr Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, among others, were present.

Earlier on Sunday, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia issued a message on the occasion, conveying her sympathy to the family members of the intellectuals martyred on 14 December, 1971.

She called upon all to get united for building a prosperous, self-dependent and stronger Bangladesh.

On the night of 14 December in 1971, over 200 intellectuals including professors, journalists, doctors, artistes, engineers, and writers were picked up in Dhaka by the Pakistani occupation forces, aided by their local collaborators.

The intellectuals were taken blindfolded to torture cells in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other locations in different parts of the city and later executed en masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur.

Since then, the day is being observed as the Martyred Intellectuals Day.