The Awami League on Sunday observed the seventh anniversary of the August 21, 2004 grenade attacks on its rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in which 24 people, including the party's women's affairs secretary Ivy Rahman, were killed and more than 300 wounded.
Grenades were thrown this day in 2004 into the rally where almost all leaders of the party were present. The AL president, Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, escaped the attack but her ears were damaged on impact of the explosions.
The party and its front organisations and other political, socio-cultural and professional organisations marked the day with different programmes recalling the horror of the bloody grenade attacks.
The Awami League's programme began with the placing of flowers at the makeshift memorial plaque in front of the party's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue at 11:00am.
Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the party colleagues and activists killed in the grenade attacks by placing floral wreaths the makeshift monument.
Recalling her brush with death on the fateful day, Hasina once again held the Bangladesh Nationalist Party responsible for the grenade attacks.
'It is clear like daylight that such a brazen attack cannot take place without the government's backing. It was a planned attack – there is no doubt about it,' Hasina said.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the makeshift memorial as the prime minister and party president and stood in solemn silence for a minute as a mark of respect to the memories of the martyrs.
After departure of the prime minister, different front organisations of Awami League paid their tributes by placing wreaths at the makeshift memorial.
Among others, leaders of Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Samyabadi Dal and Communist Party of Bangladesh, also placed wreaths.
In the evening, Sheikh Hasina took iftar at the Ganabhaban with the family members of the party activists killed in the August 21 grenade attacks. The people maimed by the attack also attended the programme.
The party will hold a discussion today at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre marking the anniversary. Hasina will attend the discussion as chief guest.
Awami Swechchhasebak League brought out a procession on Sunday afternoon in a symbolic protest at all terrors attacks.
Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote on Friday held a discussion at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in memory of the August 21 victims.
Source : New Age
No comments:
Post a Comment