UNB, Dhaka :Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the people of the country to get united and be vocal against the deadly menace of terrorism and militancy to steer the nation towards development and prosperity.”All of us will have to be vocal so that those who nurture terrorism and militancy, kill people through unleashing grenade attacks cannot make their place on Bangladesh soil. We’ll have to resist them and thus maintain peace and ensure the security of people,” she said.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League chief, was addressing a programme at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city marking the 12th anniversary of the gruesome grenade attack of August 21, 2004.AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam spoke on the occasion while AL leaders and workers and family members of the August 21 grenade attack and those who were injured were present at the programme.The Prime Minister said, she and her government does not want to see the recurrence of August 21 grenade attack in the country and added that the incidents of terrorism and militancy are taking place across the globe with newer dimensions.She extended her heartfelt thanks to the people of all spheres as they have stood united against terrorism and militancy. “If people remain united, then we’ll be able to protect Bangladesh from such incidents.”At the beginning of the programme, the Awami League chief placed a wreath at the makeshift memorial showing deep homage to the martyrs of the August 21 grenade attack. Flanked by senior Awami League leaders, Hasina then placed another wreath as the Awami League President. Leaders of the central 14-party alliance also placed wreaths at the memorial.Then a special munajat was offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls and recovery of those who were severely injured during that grenade attack.Twenty-four people, including late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed and hundreds of party activists and leaders were injured in at least 13 grenade blasts at Bangabandhu Avenue on the day. The Awami League, then in the opposition, had organised a rally there. Hasina narrowly escaped the attack but suffered damage in her right ear.
