News Desk :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged citizens to remain vigilant against any act of violence similar to the 2004 grenade attack that killed 24 people, as she paid homage to the victims of the carnage.
Those who cannot bear the fact that the spirit of the Liberation War has been rekindled and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is widely respected around the world will try to turn Bangladesh into a country of terrorism, Hasina warned in her speech on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com
She urged the people to remain vigilant against incidents similar to the Aug 21 grenade attack.
“We will face similar incidents in the future. The carnage of Aug 15 took place at a time when my father was leading the country toward development. And today the situation is the same as Bangladesh is moving towards development.”
Hasina arrived at Bangabandhu Avenue around 10:30 am to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the devastating attack. She paid her respects by placing a wreath on an altar erected at the central office of the Bangladesh Awami League.
As many as 24 people lost their lives in the grenade attack, aimed at eliminating Hasina, who was the opposition leader at the time. But the Awami League chief survived as party loyalists formed a human shield to protect her from the carnage.
Later, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader joined Hasina in paying tribute to the party leaders and activists who lost their lives in the attack.
The prime minister could not attend the programmes commemorating the grenade attack in person for the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Afterwards, the premier spent a few moments with some of the people who were injured in the attack. She then took part in a discussion to mark the anniversary of the incident.
On Aug 21, 2004, leaders of the Awami League gathered outside their central office on Bangabandhu Avenue for a rally against terrorism.
“Who brought them home if not the BNP? They came and left. Now they’re living as fugitives in other countries.”
A makeshift stage was raised on a truck, but the anticipation surrounding the event soon gave way to horror as a series of explosions rocked the area.
As many as 24 people lost their lives in the grenade attack, aimed at eliminating Hasina, who was the opposition leader at the time. But the Awami League chief survived as party loyalists formed a human shield to protect her from the carnage.
The heinous attack, one of the darkest chapters for democracy in Bangladesh, sent shockwaves around the world. Various programmes are being held across the country to observe the 18th anniversary of the incident.
Recalling the day of the grenade attack, Hasina said no such incident could take place without the support of the government of the time.
“The target was to kill me and annihilate the Awami League,” she said.
When the grenade attack took place on Aug 21, two of the convicts in Bangabandhu’s killing – Col (Rtd) Abdur Rashid and Shariful Haque Dalim – were staying in Bangladesh, said Hasina.
“Khaleda Zia arranged for them to flee the country.”
She said the killers fled Bangladesh when they saw the daughter of Bangabandhu was still alive following the grenade attack.
“Who brought them home if not the BNP? They came and left. Now they’re living as fugitives in other countries.”
Hasina said that, over the course of her life, she was repeatedly attacked but was saved by the ‘almighty Allah’.
“Allah kept me alive for the welfare of the people in Bangladesh. No one can be killed if Allah protects them. There’s no place in Bangladesh where I haven’t faced an attack on my person-be it by bullet, bomb or attack on the car I was travelling in. But I am still alive and striving for the people of Bangladesh.”
The Awami League was attacked many times by Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan and during the Liberation War in 1971, said Hasina. “Then Ziaur Rahman came and tried to annihilate the leaders and activists of the Awami League. And now they are talking about missing person cases. We should bring forward the families of the Awami League leaders and activists who were picked up or went missing during Ziaur Rahman’s rule.”
She highlighted the bad governance during the rule of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, when Awami League leaders and activists were severely tortured.
The prime minister also spoke about the global economic recession caused by the Russia-Ukraine war and solicited the cooperation of everyone to combat the situation. She urged everyone to be austere in their use of electricity, gas and water.
