Bangladesh
Grenade Attack PM Hasina hopeful of quick judgment in 21 August grenade attack case
Dhaka, August 21: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that anti-independence communal groups and anti-development and anti-democracy clique are still vocal in many ways. She has urged the nation to be ready always to deal with any conspiracy of this evil power in unison.
She hoped that the verdict in the August 21 grenade attack case would come into effect as soon as possible following all legal rules and procedures. With the implementation of this verdict, killing, terrorism and militancy will be eradicated from the country and Bangladesh will become a safe and peaceful haven for the next generation, the Prime Minister said in a message issued on Friday on the anniversary of the 2004 grenade attack.
"August 21 is a black day in the history of Bangladesh. On this day in 2004, under the direct patronage of the BNP-Jamaat coalition government, the most barbaric grenade attack was carried out at an anti-terrorism and anti-militancy rally organized by the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka," PM Hasina said.
"By the infinite mercy of Almighty Allah and the blessings of the people, I survived somehow. The dedicated leaders and activists of Awami League made human armor and protected me. However, 22 leaders and activists, including the then president of the women's Awami League Begum Ivy Rahman, were killed in the grenade attack. More than five hundred leaders and activists, journalists and security personnel were injured," she said.
"Whenever the BNP-Jamaat alliance came to power, it tried to make Bangladesh a failed state with the help of militants and terrorists. They came to power through rigging in the October 1, 2001 elections and established a reign of terror across the country. One bomb attack after another, grenade attacks and attempts to turn it into a militant state. Following this, on 21 August 2004, they lauched a grenade attack during an anti-terrorism and anti-militancy rally organised by the Awami League," the Prime Minister added.
She said it was the moral responsibility of the government to arrest and prosecute those involved in the infernal attack and killings, but the BNP-Jamaat coalition government did nothing but protect the killers.
The Prime Minister said a fair and impartial investigation revealed that many members of the BNP-Jamaat alliance were directly involved in the attack.
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.
