DU observes Genocide Day with tributes and prayers

Dhaka University observed Genocide Day on Wednesday night, commemorating the atrocities of March 25, 1971.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr ABM Obaidul Islam, on behalf of the university community, lit candles at Smriti Chirantan square in the evening and paid tribute to the martyrs.

As part of the programme, a one-minute “blackout” was observed from 10:30pm to 10:31pm across the campus, except for emergency installations.

A discussion meeting was also held at Smriti Chirantan Square with the vice-chancellor in the chair.

Speaking at the event, Prof Obaidul said that Bangladesh’s War of Independence began following the genocide of March 25, 1971, and after nine months of war, the nation achieved freedom.

He noted that although the country gained independence, the aspiration for a discrimination-free society remains unfulfilled, leading people to take to the streets time and again. In this continuity, mass uprisings took place in 1990 and 2024 against the then-ruling regimes, he said.

Referring to the formation of a new government through the exercise of voting rights on February 12, he expressed hope that it had created an opportunity to build a new Bangladesh free from inequality and exploitation.

He also voiced optimism that transparency, accountability, and the rule of law would be ensured under the new government, paving the way for a just and discrimination-free society.

A documentary based on the March 25, 1971, genocide was screened at the programme.

Following the discussion, teachers, officials, and staff of the university paid homage to the martyrs by lighting candles at the mass grave of Jagannath Hall.

Besides, a special prayer was offered at the central mosque on campus after Zuhr prayers, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyred intellectuals. Special prayers were also held at other places of worship on campus.