Dhaka: President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday paid profound tributes to martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day.

President Abdul Hamid placed wreaths at about 8:00am to pay his homage to the great heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the country and the nation.

After placing wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood there in solemn silence for some time.

A smartly turned out contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces gave a state salute as the bugle played the last post.

After placing the wreaths, the President talked to war-wounded freedom fighters and family members of the martyred intellectuals there and enquired about their wellbeing.

Earlier, on his arrival at the mausoleum site, the President was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haq. Cabinet members and the chiefs of three services were present.

Flanked by central leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, laid another wreath at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial as the party chief.

She also talked to the war-wounded freedom fighters and enquired about their wellbeing.

On the night of 14 December, 1971, over 200 Bangladeshi 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.