BNP-Jamaat directly involved with the attack, says PM
The ninth anniversary of grisly grenade attack on an anti-terrorism rally of Awami League in the city will be observed on Wednesday.
The heinous grenade attack on the rally of the then opposition Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue was made on August 21, 2004, leaving 24 leaders and activists, including Awami League women affairs secretary and wife of late President Zillur Rahman Ivy Rahman, and 300 others injured.
At least 13 grenades were thrown from the rooftops of a nearby building soon after Sheikh Hasina finished her speech.
On the occasion, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages.
In his message, the President said, “The reactionary force is still active to endanger the country’s independence and democracy. A united resistance and unity have to be forged against them.”
In her message, the Prime Minister said, “I hope that killing, terrorism and militancy will be removed from the country forever through the fair trial of attackers, planners, mastermind and their instigators of the August 21 attack.”
“Truth can never be suppressed, today it has come out through investigation that many high-ups of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government were directly involved with the attack,” the Prime Minister added.
Awami League and its associate bodies have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day.
The day’s programmes will start with placing wreaths at the temporary memorial at 23, Bangabandhu Avenue at 11 am.
Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at the memorial along with party top leaders.
Sheikh Hasina will also meet the family members who were killed in the grenade attack at the spot. Hasina will also take part in a discussion meeting there.
Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam in a statement on Tuesday urged all to observe the day in a befitting manner.