President Abdul Hamid has paid rich tribute to the memory of those killed in a barbaric grenade attack on an Awami League rally in city on August 21, 2004.”I express my deep respect to the memory of those killed in the August 21 grenade attack and convey heartfelt sympathy to the injured,” he said in a message on Wednesday on the eve of the day.
Terming the August 21 attack as a black chapter in our national life and mourning day, the President said 24 leaders and activists of Awami League including Mahila Awami League President Ivy Rahman were killed in the heinous attack.
Abdul Hamid said the reactionary and anti-liberation forces are still active to frustrate our independence and democracy even after killing of the Father of the Nation and Architect of our Independence Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members on August 15, 1975. The President said the heinous grenade attack on the AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue was carried out in a planned way to eliminate Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina and other top leaders of the party. By the grace of Allah, Sheikh Hasina narrowly survived the attack, but Ivy Rahman and 23 other leaders and activists of the party were killed, he added. Abdul Hamid said many of those injured in the attack became crippled for life and are now living in endless miseries.
He said mutual respect and tolerance are a must to make the country’s democracy meaningful.
