DHAKA: The day of the deadly grenade attack on Awami League rally on the city’s Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004 has come once again.

That attack was apparently targeted to kill Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader and now the incumbent Prime Minster, who nearly ended her speech on the rally’s temporary stage.

The attack claimed a total of 24 lives, including the then AL’s womem affairs secretary Ivy Rahman and also wife of late president Zillur Rahman, were killed and hundred more injured.

Justice is still far away, albeit AL is in power for two successive terms. The trial has not been completed yet.

Ruling AL is observing the 10th anniversary of the attack on Thursday commemorating those who lost lives in the attack. On August 21, AL and its associate bodies observe the day every year with befitting manner.

The commemoration began through lighting candles at 12:01am, the first moments of the day, followed by elaborate agenda of program throughout the day.

On the first minute on Thursday, Industries minister Amir Hosssain Amu, accompanied by the party men, inaugurated candle-lighting in front of Awami League office in the city’s Bangabandhu Avenue.

Leaders and activists are seen mourned; they try so hard, but memories chase them so fast, they can not forget at all.
 
Banglanews Correspondent talked to AL activist M Rafiq, 28, who escaped that terrible attack.

“That day, I was in the rally too, when big bang of the grenade explosions was being heard, all began rampaging, I myself also ran away; having gone slightly far, I saw several people screaming, (they are) craving for lives, many more were crying,” Rafiq recalled.

He went on saying, “When I remember the attack I get shocked, tears come out of my eyes.  We saw blood-spattered Ivy apa (sister) lying down, the leader (Hasina) was covered by human shield; the leader was saved, but we could not save Ivy Rahman and others.”

Ten years have gone, ruling AL has just been promising trial, but justice has not done yet.

About a dozen grenades were exploded while Sheikh Hasina was about to complete her speech at the anti-terrorism rally in front of the AL central office. Hasina, however, escaped a close call.

The grenade attack was launched from rooftops of the buildings in front of the AL central office during the regime of four-party alliance government led by BNP.

Two cases were filed in connection with the attack, one for murder and the other under the Explosives Act.

In 2008, the CID submitted charge sheets against 22 persons, including former BNP deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, Huji kingpin Mufti Hannan and 20 Huji men.

However, a Dhaka court on August 3, 2009, ordered further probe, as it observed the investigation had failed to unearth the sources of the grenades used and identify the masterminds behind the attack.

On July 3 in 2011, a supplementary charge sheet of the case was submitted accusing 30 more persons, including the BNP senior vice-chairman, Tarique Rahman, of complicity in the attack.

At present the total number of accused is 52, including previous 22.

Twelve of the 30 newly implicated accused, including Tarique Rahman, Harris Chowdhury and Kaikobad, are at large.
Till Thursday, court recorded the statements of only 98 out 491 witnesses since the trial began in 2008.

“Trial of people, who are involved in the grenade attack, will be done soon. The accused will be hanged to death, Amu said while lighting candles in the Bangabandhu Avenue.

BDST: 1134 HRS, AUG 21, 2014