The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has once again held the Bangladesh Nationalist Party responsible for the gruesome grenade attacks on an Awami League rally seven years ago.
'It's clear like daylight that such an incident can't take place without the government's backing. It was a planned murder — there's no doubt about it,' she said on Sunday after paying homage to the people who died in the attack by placing wreaths at a makeshift monument on Bangabandhu Avenue.
On Sunday, Hasina said political rivals should be faced politically, not by killing them. 'That's why the attackers will be brought to justice, it's a must. And the verdict will be executed in this country, Inshallah,' she said.
On August 21, 2004, several grenades were thrown at the crowded rally during an address by then opposition leader Hasina in front of the party headquarters when the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, was the prime minister from a four-party coalition with Jamaat-e-Islami as its key partner.
Hasina narrowly survived the attacks but 24 people, including incumbent president Zillur Rahman's wife Ivy Rahman, were killed while some 200 suffered injuries. Hasina had only suffered partial hearing loss as she was surrounded by senior party leaders on a makeshift dais. The assailants had also opened fire at the fleeing car carrying Hasina to safety.
The Awami League has accused Tarique Rahman, elder son of Khaleda, of masterminding the attack from Hawa Bhaban, Khaleda's political office in Gulshan, from where Tarique allegedly ran a parallel government during his mother's 2001-6 tenure.
Investigators have said radical Islamic group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami had executed the attack, maintaining ties with the BNP.
HuJI leader Mufti Abdul Hannan and BNP leader and former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu are facing charges of the attacks. They are in jail now, pending trial. One of Pintu's brothers, a HuJI man, was allegedly involved in the whole process from collecting the grenades to backing the attackers at the scene.
In a commemoration message on Saturday, the prime minister termed August 21 'a day of shame'.
'The most barbaric grenade attack in broad daylight was carried out on the peaceful rally of the Bangladesh Awami League on this day in 2004 with the aim to kill me,' she said.
On July 3, supplementary charge-sheets in the cases were pressed against 30 new faces to raise the total number accused to 52.
Tarique, Khaleda's political adviser Haris Chowdhury, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed have been named in the new document.
The court may set date to indict them on August 25, the next day for hearing.
Citing the measures taken by her government to prevent such incident occur again, Hasina said, 'We've taken firm position after assuming office. Drives against militancy and terrorism will continue, no matter how strong the obstacles are.'
She also questioned the role of law enforcers following the attack. 'The police fired tear gas and charged batons while they were supposed to rescue the injured,' the prime minister said, adding that 'those were done to let the attackers flee the scene safely'.
Hasina said even there had been no doctors available at many hospitals that day.
Pointing at the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, she said, 'They did not preserve any evidence and even destroyed the unexploded grenades (recovered from the scene) to hide the truth.'
Before the speech, she laid wreaths on the monument — first as the head of government and then as the party chief flanked by colleagues, and observed a one-minute-silence in honour of those departed.
Senior leaders of the party, and ruling allies Hasanul Haque Inu and Rashed Khan Menon were also present at the function.
Retrieving memories of that day, Hasina said, 'I turned back after delivering speech. Then [SM] Gorki (Daily Jugantor photographer) asked me to stop for a snap as he could not take one earlier. I stopped and the attacks began.
'Hanif Bhai (late Dhaka mayor Mohammed Hanif) who was standing beside me took the splinters which were supposed to hit me. His blood was spilling on me. They [attackers] used the grenades generally used in wars.'
About Dhaka city Awami League advisory council member Rafiqul Islam, better known as Aada uncle, who died that day, Hasina said, 'He used to attend all the meetings and processions (of the party).'
Source : New Age
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