Bangladesh
August 21 Grenade Attack Aug 21 grenade attack: Efforts are on to bring back the fugitive accused including Tareq Rahman, says NCB
Dhaka, August 21: Attempts are being made to bring back the fugitive accused including Tareq Rahman, who was convicted in the August 21 grenade attack case. The National Central Bureau (NCB) at the police headquarters said.
NCB's AIG Mohiul Islam told state-run news agency BSS that NCB Dhaka was in regular touch with potential countries to bring the fugitive accused back to the country, including Tarique Rahman, and carry out their sentences. In addition, the documents required to be named in the Interpol Red Notice have been given to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On 21 August 2004, an unprecedented grenade attack was carried out on a rally of Awami League President and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka. Twenty-four people, including Awami League leaders and activists, were killed. If the grenade thrown by the assassins had exploded in the truck used for the rally, no senior Awami League leader, including Sheikh Hasina, would have survived. And that was the main plan of the assassins. August 21, 2004 like today was a Saturday.
The Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 pronounced its verdict on October 10, 2018 in the case of grenade attack and murder on August 21. Following the verdict of the trial court, the case related to the grenade attack on August 21 is now awaiting death reference and appeal hearing in the High Court.
The court sentenced 19 people, including former state minister for home Lutfuzzaman Babar, deputy minister for education Abdus Salam Pintu and two top intelligence officials at the time, to death. Among those sentenced to death were 14 members of the militant group Harkatul Jihad (Huji-B). Besides, 19 people, including BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, were sentenced to life imprisonment and 11 others to various terms of imprisonment.
