The 19th anniversary of the grisly grenade attack on an anti-terrorism rally of the then opposition party Bangladesh Awami League in the capital on Aug 21 in 2004 was observed on Monday (Aug 21) paying glowing tributes to the martyrs, local media reported.
On this day in 2004 during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government carried out this ghastly attack on a peaceful rally in front of Awami League's Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital. The Awami League leaders and activists formed a human shield to protect the then opposition leader and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina miraculously survived the infernal grenade attack that day. As Sheikh Hasina, the main target of the assassination, survived, 12 rounds of bullets were shot at her car while she was hurriedly whisked away to safer place from the scene. However, the bullets could not penetrate the bulletproof vehicle carrying Bangabandhu's daughter. Immediately after the attack, Sheikh Hasina was cordoned off in a car and taken to her the then residence Sudha Sadan in Dhanmondi. But, 24 people including Ivy Rahman, former president of Mohila Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman were killed and over 500 others injured in the attack and many of them became crippled for life.
Those others killed in the barbaric grenade attack included the then opposition leader’s personal security guard Lance Corporal (retd) Mahbubur Rashid, Abul Kalam Azad, Rezina Begum, Nasir Uddin Sardar, Atique Sarkar, Abdul Kuddus Patwari, Aminul Islam Moazzem, Belal Hossain, Mamun Mridha, Ratan Shikdar, Liton Munshi, Hasina Mamtaz Reena, Sufia Begum, Rafiqul Islam (Ada Chacha), Mostaque Ahmed Sentu, Md Hanif, Abul Kashem, Zahed Ali, Momen Ali, M Shamsuddin and Ishaque Miah.
Prominent among those who suffered serious splinter injuries included Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sen Gupta, Obaidul Quader, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Mohammad Hanif, Prof Abu Sayeed and AFM Bahauddin Nasim.
Fear and terror engulfed the entire capital after the grenade attack. Huge condemnation and grieves of this massacre spread across the country and abroad as well.
After the attack, when the Awami League leaders and activists were busy trying to save themselves and others, the police charged the protest march fiercely with batons and tear shells. At the same time, even all traces of the carnage were destroyed.
The BNP-Jamaat coalition government even staged the ‘Joj Mia’ drama to cover up the incident with state sponsorship and direct support.
On the occasion, different political parties, including ruling Awami League, and other socio-cultural organisations, on Monday chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the 19th anniversary of the grisly grenade attack in a befitting manner. The ruling Awami League, its associate bodies, its left-leaning allies and other political parties paid homage to the martyrs of the brutal grenade attack that killed 24 people and wounded nearly 500 others.
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina first paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the grenade attack by placing floral wreaths at the altar set up in memory of the martyrs of the grenade attack in front of Awami League’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka. Awami League presidium members Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Kazi Zafarullah, Dr Abdur Razzaque, Col. (retd) Faruk Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Abdur Rahman, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Dr Dipu Moni, Organising Secretaries Ahmed Hossain, Mirza Azam, SM Kamal Hossain and Advocate Afzal Hossain, Publicity and Publicity Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Abdus Sabur, Health Affairs Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana and Agriculture and Cooperatives Affairs Secretary Faridunnahar Laily were present on the occasion, among others.
Later, the premier along with other central leaders including Obaidul Quader paid tribute to the martyrs on behalf of the party. The premier also exchanged greetings with party leaders and those injured in the Aug 21 grenade attack. Later, leaders from different political parties and the leaders of ruling Awami League and its different associate bodies also paid tributes.
Leaders from different political parties conversed in front of the Awami League’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city on Monday morning for paying rich tributes to the martyrs of the grenade attack. Tributes also were paid to the martyrs on behalf of the 14-parties.
The Awami League organised a discussion at its central office at 11.15 a.m. with it’s President Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Awami Swechchhasebak League held torch-light vigil at 5.21 p.m. recalling the memories of Aug 21 martyrs. Krishak League held a discussion and Doa Mehfil.
On Aug 23, Mohila Awami League will hold a discussion on the death anniversary of Ivy Rahman, one of the martyrs of Aug 21 attack. On Aug 24, Awami League, its Dhaka city south and north units and associate bodies will pay tributes to Ivy Rahman by placing wreaths at her grave in Banani graveyard at 9 a.m. Besides, Jatiyo Sramik League will organize a memorial meeting in Tejgaon Industrial area at 3 p.m. marking the death anniversary of Ivy Rahman on that day.
