Ivy was declared dead shortly after Khaleda's visit: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said Awami League leader Ivy Rahman was declared dead shortly after the then premier Khaleda Zia visited her while the slain leader's off-springs were locked up in a room at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) during her visit.

"The off-springs of Ivy Rahman who were beside her bed (in the CMH), were taken to a room and locked inside for three or four hours as the then
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was scheduled to see her in the hospital," she said.

She said this while presiding over an Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here.

The Prime Minister said Khaleda Zia went to see Ivy Rahman after locking her off-springs, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chairman Nazmul Hasan Papan, MP, his sisters Tania and Mayna in a room, adding that she (Ivy Rahman) was pronounced dead immediately after her (Khaleda Zia's) visit.

She added: "The people do not know it. I reveal the matter to let people know how cruel they were."

The Premier however called upon the countrymen to pray for eternal peace of Ivy Rahman and others killed in the gruesome August 21 grenade attack.

She said, "On this day, today (Ivy Rahman succumbed to her injuries on August 24 in 2004 in CMH), I remember the most about Ivy Chachi (aunt)."

Sheikh Hasina, also President of the ruling Awami League, said then BNP-Jamaat alliance government even wanted to vanish the bodies of her party's leaders and activists killed in the heinous grenade attack, as they did not want to handover the bodies to their relatives.

But, the BNP government was forced to handover the bodies to relatives due to constant vigil of the AL leaders and activists, she said.

She added that the physicians of BNP even did not give any treatments to the people who suffered splinter injuries in the grenade attack.

The Prime Minister said she had arranged treatments for the injured people at home and abroad.

The Awami League President said that Bangabandhu Memorial Trust had arranged treatment for the injured people.

Sheikh Hasina said the Trust is still giving assistance to the injured people and relatives of the deceased ones to continue their livelihoods and bearing expenses of their children's study.

She added that many of the injured people have already died while many others have become crippled and many are still leading miserable lives with splinter injuries.

Twenty-two Awami League leaders and activists including the then Women Affairs Secretary of AL and wife of late President Zillur Rahman were killed and over 500 others injured and many of them became crippled for life in the August 21,2004 attack.

By the grace of the Almighty Allah, then opposition leader and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other front ranking AL leaders narrowly escaped the carnage.

Source: BSS