Today, December 14, is not just a date on the calendar, but a tragedy that will always remain relevant to Bangladesh.

Today, on Martyred Intellectuals Day, we remember, in grief and horror, just how low the Pakistani occupation forces stooped in the final hours before victory in 1971. 

That night, the Pakistanis, aided by their local collaborators, abducted and executed our nation’s brightest minds -- academics, journalists, doctors, engineers, artists, and others. 

There was but one reason for such a heinous and despicable act: To cripple a newborn nation and try and ensure that it would never overcome such a loss.

It has been fifty four years and still the echoes of that terrifying night reverberate. This elimination of our intellectuals was not only an assault on individuals but on the very idea of Bangladesh -- a society that looked to be built on knowledge, justice, and dignity. 

Today, as we mourn, we must simultaneously confront the uncomfortable truth that has persisted in our country since: The promise of their sacrifice remains unfulfilled.

The upheavals of July and August 2024 gave us a glimpse into this unfinished struggle. Yet, as blood continues to be spilled on our streets, and as conspirators and those looking to destabilize our nation  continue to prowl, it is a haunting reminder that all these years later, we still wrestle with the same demons.

To honour December 14 therefore is to do more than lay wreaths at Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Rayerbazar. We must recommit ourselves to safeguarding freedom of thought, ensuring accountability, and nurturing a democracy that values its citizens’ voices. 

Those whose lives were lost in 1971 envisioned a Bangladesh where ideas could flourish without fear. Those who lost their lives in 2024 wanted the same. To that end, let the promise of a better, more enlightened Bangladesh be our commitment.