The barbaric grenade attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally of Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on August 21, 2004 during the BNP-Jamaat government aiming to wipe out the AL leadership. Twenty-four people, including then president of Mohila Awami League and late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed and over 600 others suffered splinter injuries in the grisly attack and many of them became crippled for life. Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, narrowly escaped the attack but sustained hearing impairment due to the impact of the repeated grenade blasts near the truck-dais of the huge public rally. The AL men saved her life creating a human shield surrounding her.

 Recalling the barbaric carnage, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday alleged that then PM Khaleda Zia staged the August 21, 2004 grenade attack as carrying out killings is their habit.

Dhaka, Aug 21 (UNB) – Alleging that the then BNP-Jamaat government was involved in the grisly August 21 grenade attack in 2004, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said it is not possible to carry out an attack of such scale without government’s patronage.

Dhaka, Aug 21 (UNB) – BNP senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday said there is a question in public mind whether Awami League had ‘involvement’ with the blueprint of the August-21 grenade attack.