They also urged the government to announce the night as a night of national mourning and take necessary steps to focus its importance to the new generation.

On this night in 1971, the Pakistani military rulers launched 'Operation Search Light' against the unarmed Bangalees.

Dhaka University was attacked and students exterminated in the hundreds. Death squads roamed city streets killing some 7,000 people in a single night.

Led by Muktijoddha Gono Parishad, the freedom fighters and students took out the procession from Arambagh carrying posters and banners and chanting various slogans. The procession paraded different city streets before ending at Rajarbagh.

Earlier, the parishad organised a discussion at Dhaka District Sporting Association (DDSA) Office at Arambagh.

Speakers at the discussion blamed the previous governments for not awarding punishment to those who collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces in the genocide.

"Our new generation does not know the real history of the dark night and the liberation war because no government in the past took any effective steps to focus them, " said Ishtiak Aziz Ulfat, president of the parishad.

Freedom fighters Sadek Ahmed Khan, Shahid Bablu and Syed Anwarul also spoke.