Sheikh Hasina was prime target of Aug 21 grenade attack: Quader

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minster Obaidul Quader today said incumbent Prime Minister and the then Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina was the prime target of the gruesome attacks on August 21 in 2004.

He was talking to journalists after paying tributes to AL’s former Women Affairs Secretary and women leader Ivy Rahman, who was killed in the August 21 grenade attacks, by placing a wreath on her grave at Banani graveyard on the occasion of her 17th death anniversary.

Quader said on that day, the AL leaders and workers and the people had fallen victims to state-sponsored terrorism while holding an anti-terrorism rally.

“August 21 grenade attacks were the most barbaric incident in the history. On that day, incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was the prime target,” he said.

Recalling the memories of those killed in the grenade attacks, including Ivy Rahman, the minister said a generous leader like Ivy Rahman is very rare in Bangladesh as she has no self-centeredness.

Ivy Rahman never used to sit on stage, rather she liked to sit in the field along with workers, he said, adding that even on that day she stayed with workers in the procession outside the truck.

The AL general secretary said the trial procedure of the cases filed over August 21 grenade attacks has been completed in the lower court and the cases are now pending in High Court for appeal hearing.

Quader hoped the appeal hearing of cases will begin within earliest possible time for quick disposal of the trials.

Earlier, the AL general secretary along with the party’s senior leaders placed wreath on the grave of Ivy Rahman.

AL Presidium Member Begum Matia Chowdhury, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul-Alam Hanif, Organizing Secretary SM Kamal Hossain, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Women Affairs Secretary Meher Afroz Chumki, Central Working Committee Member Anwar Hossain and Syed Abdul Awal Shamim were present on the occasion, among others.

Dhaka City North and South AL, Jubo League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Swechchhasebak League, Krishak League and deferent others associate bodies paid tributes to Ivy Rahman.

Ivy Rahman, also former president of Bangladesh Mahila Awami League and wife of late President M Zillur Rahman, received grievous injuries during grisly grenade attacks on an AL rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city on August 21 in 2004 and she succumbed to her injuries on August 24.

Source: BSS