On the night of December 14, 1971, over 200 intellectuals including academicians, journalists, litterateurs, physicians, scientists, lawyers, artists, philosophers and political thinkers were picked up by the Pakistani occupation forces in Dhaka with the help of their local collaborators.
The intellectuals were taken to torture chambers in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other places in different parts of the city and later mass-murdered in different killing grounds, especially at Rayarbazar and Mirpur.
Since then this day is celebrated as Martyr Intellectuals Day.