The High Court has observed that the August 21, 2004 grenade attack case should be sent to the Home Ministry for a fresh investigation by a qualified and expert agency to ensure justice. The HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain made the remarks while delivering the full text of its verdict on Thursday. The HC also directed the concerned office to forward a copy of this order to the Home Ministry for appropriate and necessary action. "It is a heinous, tragic incident in the history of this country, where many people lost their lives, including then Awami League leader Ivy Rahman. The killings need to be investigated properly and independently to ensure justice, which has been completely absent in this case until today. In this context, we believe the case should be referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs to take necessary steps and initiate a fresh investigation by a proper and expert agency to ensure the proper administration of justice," said the High Court bench. HC questions validity of canceling Channel I journalist’s press accreditation On December 1, the bench overturned the verdict of a lower court in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack, acquitting all convicts, including BNP's Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar. The court also declared the charge sheet in the case “illegal.” The bench delivered the judgment after holding a hearing on death references (trial court documents for confirmation of capital punishment) and appeals filed by some of the convicts of the cases. The grenade attack, a shocking incident, occurred on Dhaka's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. At least 24 people, including Awami League’s women affairs secretary and late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed. Three hundred others were also injured. Sheikh Hasina survived but suffered hearing impairment. On October 10, 2018, a Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal issued a verdict in one of the cases (pertaining to murder and explosives). The tribunal sentenced 19 people, including Lutfozzaman Babar and former deputy education minister Abdus Salam Pintu, to death. Besides, 19 others, including BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, were handed life imprisonment sentences, while 11 accused received various terms of imprisonment and fines.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday stressed the need for expediting the implementation of the trial court’s verdict in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack case. “Our leaders and activists, including Ivy Rahman, were brutally killed in broad daylight on August 21. The trial has been held. Its (trial court) judgment has been handed out. This verdict should be implemented soon,” she said. The premier was addressing a discussion arranged by Bangladesh Awami League (AL) at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu Avenue, marking 19th anniversary of the August 21 grenade attack. The grenade attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally organised by the then opposition AL on August 21, 2004 in front of its central office on Bangabandhu Avenue. The gruesome attack left 24 people killed and nearly 1,000 injured. AL president and then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina luckily survived, but her hearing was impaired by the repeated grenade blasts. Among the dead was Awami League’s women affairs secretary and late president Zillur Rahman’s wife, Ivy Rahman. A Dhaka court had already convicted and sentenced 49 people, including 19 to death and 19 to life imprisonment. Eleven were sentenced to different prison terms. Read: 19th anniversary of Aug 21 grenade attack today Eighteen of the convicted, including BNP leader Tarique Rahman, remain fugitives. Appeals against the judgment are now being heard in the High Court. Sheikh Hasina, while presiding over today’s discussion, said some of those convicted in the grenade attack case are now in jail but the main mastermind remains outside the country. Without mentioning Tarique Rahman, she said that he went abroad signing a bond. “If he has courage, why doesn’t he come back? We’ve transformed the country into Digital Bangladesh. He is now talking big, taking its advantages… He should come back, if he has courage. People of Bangladesh will not spare that killer,” she said. Recalling the grisly grenade attack, the premier said Khaleda Zia was the prime minister at the time, and the question remains what role she played at that time. Read: It was a state-sponsored conspiracy to kill Hasina: Witness and injured Nazib recalls horror of Aug 21 carnage She questioned why Khaleda obstructed police (from taking appropriate measures) and didn’t take any initiative to protect evidence of the attack. “What does it prove? There is no doubt that Khaleda, Tarique and their men were completely involved in the grenade attack. It was also revealed in the investigation,” said the AL president.

The nation is observing the 19th anniversary of the gruesome August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka with various programmes today and pledges to resist such acts of terror. On this day in 2004, a heinous grenade attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally organised by the Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the then leader of the opposition, was apparently the target when the BNP-Jamaat alliance government was in office. At least 24 people, including Awami League’s women affairs secretary and late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed. Three hundred others were also injured. Sheikh Hasina survived but suffered hearing impairment. Read: Zia was behind August 15 killings, Tarique behind August 21: Hasan Mahmud Fourteen years later, a Dhaka court sentenced 19 people, including the then BNP government’s state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, to death in the grenade attack case. Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and the party's current acting chairman, and 18 others were sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in the grenade attack. Marking the day, Awami League and its associate bodies have chalked out elaborate programmes across the country. Tributes will be paid to the grenade attack martyrs by placing wreaths at the altar built in their memory in front of the party's Bangabandhu Avenue office in Dhaka at 11 am. Read: Grenade attacks and targeted killings among methods then BNP-Jamaat govt applied in their attempt to decimate AL, tweet reminds Later, a discussion will start at 11:15 am in memory of those killed in the August 21 grenade attack. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over it. Meanwhile, General Secretary of Awami League Obaidul Quader called upon the leaders, activists, supporters and well-wishers of Awami League and its allies at all levels to observe the Grenade Attack Day on August 21 along with the countrymen. Among those killed in the grenade attack were: the then opposition leader's personal security guard Lance Corporal (retd) Mahbubur Rashid, Abul Kalam Azad, Rezina Begum, Nasir Uddin Sardar, Atique Sarkar, Abdul Kuddus Patwari, Aminul Islam Moazzem, Belal Hossain, Mamun Mridha, Ratan Shikdar, Liton Munshi, Hasina Mamtaz Reena, Sufia Begum, Rafiqul Islam (Ada Chacha), Mostaque Ahmed Sentu, Md Hanif, Abul Kashem, Zahed Ali, Momen Ali, M Shamsuddin and Ishaque Miah. Read: August 21 grenade attack: HC starts hearing on death references, convicts’ appeals Those who suffered serious splinter injuries included Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Obaidul Quader, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Mohammad Hanif, Prof Abu Sayeed, and AFM Bahauddin Nasim.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that the August 21 grenade attack was carried out with direct patronisation of then BNP-Jammat government to kill her and wipe out the top leadership of her Awami League party 18 years ago. “Without having any government patronisation, this kind of heinous attack could not have taken place,” the premier said. “The target was to kill me and wipe out the Awami League.” She was addressing a discussion marking the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an anti-terrorism rally organised by then opposition Awami League in front of its central office on Bangabandhu Avenue. The attack left 24 people killed and about 300 injured, but Hasina, then opposition leader, luckily escaped death. Hasina revealed that Rashid and Dalim, two of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had returned to Bangladesh and were involved in the plot to kill her and her party’s leadership. She said that then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia helped the two killers leave the country after the carnage, one of the worst such political violence in the history of Bangladesh. “This is the reality. Many know that Dalim and Rashid were in Dhaka. I don’t know whether all people are aware of this or not. They have their relatives, you can know that easily,” she said. She mentioned that when they found out that she did not die in the attack, they fled the country. “Who brought them here unless the then BNP government had not taken the initiative? They came and they went away,” she said. She apprehended that more attacks on her are being planned and she knows that she has danger in her every step. “Killing is the character of BNP and now we have to sit with them and provide them hospitality so that they come to the election. Why? I don’t understand. Are there no other people in Bangladesh?,” she questioned. Sheikh Hasina, chief of Awami League, said that BNP shed crocodile tears in front of the foreigners at that time so they could cash in some benefits by faking sympathy. She said the people of Bangladesh must choose now from between the politics of terrorism and the path of development. “The people will have to decide whether they want to return to the era of terrorism or stay firm on the current path of development,” she said. Earlier, the prime minister paid tributes to the memory of those killed in the gruesome grenade attack by laying a wreath at the makeshift memorial erected at scene of the carnage. She shared her pains with the relatives who lost their loved ones and also with those who have been living a painful life with injuries from grenade splinters. One-minute silence was observed in memory of the victims before offering prayers for the salvation of the departed souls. Read: 18th anniversary of August 21 grenade attack today

The country is observing the 18th anniversary of the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally with various programmes on Sunday. On this day in 2004, a grisly grenade attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally organised by the Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue. Sheikh Hasina, then leader of the opposition, was apparently the target. The BNP-Jamaat alliance government was in office at that time. At least 24 people, including Awami League women affairs secretary and late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed. Three hundred others were also injured. Hasina escaped with her life but suffered hearing impairment. Fourteen years later, a Dhaka court sentenced 19 people, including the then BNP government’s state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, to death. Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and the party's current acting chairman, and 18 others were also sentenced to life in prison. The Awami League and affiliated outfits have chalked out elaborate programmes across the country. A discussion started at 10:30 am to recall the victims of the dreadful in memory of those killed in the August 21 grenade attacks. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over it. On this occasion, politicians of the Awami League and its affiliated outfits placed wreath at the altar build for the 21 August martyrs in front of the Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue today (Sunday). Read: AL set to observe 18th anniversary of August 21 grenade attack on Sunday Traffic division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) requested the city dwellers to use alternative roads avoiding traveling through city's Press Club, Paltan and Zero Point areas today (Sunday) due to day-long political program at Bangabandhu Avenue. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid issued separate messages commemorating the martyrs of the day. The Prime Minister said, “Grenade attack on August 21, 2004, was the continuation of the conspiracy that started with the brutal killing of the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family on August 15, 1975.” She said that conspiracy is still going on and urged all to unite against the evil anti-independence, anti-development and democracy, communal group that is still powerful. Meanwhile, the President in his message said, “The aim of the assassination gang was to make the Bangladesh Awami League leaderless to stop the democratic process and establish dictatorship and militancy in the country. But the people of Bangladesh did not allow it to happen”. He prayed for peace for of all the martyred souls killed in the 21st August grenade attack. General Secretary of Awami League and Minister of Road Transport Obaidul Quader called upon the leaders, workers, supporters and well-wishers of Awami League and its allies and fraternal organizations at all levels to observe the Grenade Attack Day on August 21 with due dignity along with the countrymen following the health rules. Those were killed in the grenade attack are- the then opposition leader's personal security guard Lance Corporal (retd) Mahbubur Rashid, Abul Kalam Azad, Rezina Begum, Nasir Uddin Sardar, Atique Sarkar, Abdul Kuddus Patwari, Aminul Islam Moazzem, Belal Hossain, Mamun Mridha, Ratan Shikdar, Liton Munshi, Hasina Mamtaz Reena, Sufia Begum, Rafiqul Islam (Ada Chacha), Mostaque Ahmed Sentu, Md Hanif, Abul Kashem, Zahed Ali, Momen Ali, M Shamsuddin and Ishaque Miah. Those who suffered serious splinter injuries included Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Obaidul Quader, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Mohammad Hanif, Prof Abu Sayeed, and AFM Bahauddin Nasim.

The country will observe the 18th anniversary of the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the city with various programmes. On this day in 2004, a grisly grenade attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally organised by the Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue. Sheikh Hasina, then leader of the opposition, was apparently the target. The BNP-Jamaat alliance government was in office at that time. At least 24 people, including Awami League women affairs secretary and late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed. Three hundred others were also injured. Hasina escaped with her life but suffered hearing impairment. Fourteen years later, a Dhaka court sentenced 19 people, including the then BNP government’s state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, to death. Also read: AL set to observe 18th anniversary of August 21 grenade attack on Sunday Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and the party's current acting chairman, and 18 others were also sentenced to life in prison. The Awami League and affiliated outfits have chalked out elaborate programmes across the country, maintaining health guidelines in wake of the COVID-19 situation. A discussion will be held at 10:30 am to recall the victims of the dreadful in memory of those killed in the August 21 grenade attacks. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over it. Earlier, wreath will be placed at the altar build for the 21 August martyrs in front of the Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue tomorrow. Traffic division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) requested the city dwellers to use alternative roads avoiding traveling through city's Press Club, Paltan and Zero Point areas tomorrow (Sunday) due to day-long political program at Bangabandhu Avenue. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President of the nation Abdul Hamid issued separate messages commemorating the martyrs of the day. The Prime Minister said, “ Grenade attack on August 21, 2004, was the continuation of the conspiracy that started with the brutal killing of the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family on August 15, 1975.” She said that conspiracy is still going on and urged all to unite against the evil anti-independence, anti-development and democracy, communal group that is still powerful. Meanwhile, the President in his message said, “The aim of the assassination gang was to make the Bangladesh Awami League leaderless to stop the democratic process and establish dictatorship and militancy in the country. But the people of Bangladesh did not allow it to happen”. He prayed for peace for of all the martyred souls killed in the 21st August grenade attack. General Secretary of Awami League and Minister of Road Transport Obaidul Quader called upon the leaders, workers, supporters and well-wishers of Awami League and its allies and fraternal organizations at all levels to observe the Grenade Attack Day on August 21 with due dignity along with the countrymen following the health rules. Also read:  Vehicular movement to be restricted on Sunday 24 people including the then Women Affairs Secretary of Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman were killed and over 500 others injured in the attack and many of them became crippled for life. Those were killed in the grenade attack are- the then opposition leader's personal security guard Lance Corporal (retd) Mahbubur Rashid, Abul Kalam Azad, Rezina Begum, Nasir Uddin Sardar, Atique Sarkar, Abdul Kuddus Patwari, Aminul Islam Moazzem, Belal Hossain, Mamun Mridha, Ratan Shikdar, Liton Munshi, Hasina Mamtaz Reena, Sufia Begum, Rafiqul Islam (Ada Chacha), Mostaque Ahmed Sentu, Md Hanif, Abul Kashem, Zahed Ali, Momen Ali, M Shamsuddin and Ishaque Miah. Those who suffered serious splinter injuries included Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Obaidul Quader, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Mohammad Hanif, Prof Abu Sayeed, and AFM Bahauddin Nasim.

The ruling Awami League, its front and associate bodies will observe the eighteenth anniversary of August 21 grenade attacks. The grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) anti-terrorism rally in the capital was carried out on August 21, 2004 during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government on Bangabandhu Avenue. They have chalked out elaborate programmes across the country, maintaining health guidelines in wake of the COVID-19 situation. According to Press release, a discussion will be held at 10:30 am to recall the victims of the dreadful in memory of those killed in the August 21 grenade attacks. Also read: 17th anniversary of Grenade Attack on AL rally beckons Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over it. Earlier, wreath will be placed at the altar build for the 21 August martyrs in front of the Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue tomorrow. General Secretary of Awami League and Minister of Road Transport Obaidul Quader called upon the leaders, workers, supporters and well-wishers of Awami League and its allies and fraternal organizations at all levels to observe the Grenade Attack Day on August 21 with due dignity along with the countrymen following the health rules. 24 people including the then Women Affairs Secretary of Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman were killed and over 500 others injured in the attack and many of them became crippled for life. Also read: Nation remembers Aug 21 grenade attack victims Those were killed in the grenade attack are- the then opposition leader's personal security guard Lance Corporal (retd) Mahbubur Rashid, Abul Kalam Azad, Rezina Begum, Nasir Uddin Sardar, Atique Sarkar, Abdul Kuddus Patwari, Aminul Islam Moazzem, Belal Hossain, Mamun Mridha, Ratan Shikdar, Liton Munshi, Hasina Mamtaz Reena, Sufia Begum, Rafiqul Islam (Ada Chacha), Mostaque Ahmed Sentu, Md Hanif, Abul Kashem, Zahed Ali, Momen Ali, M Shamsuddin and Ishaque Miah. Those who suffered serious splinter injuries included Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Obaidul Quader, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Mohammad Hanif, Prof Abu Sayeed, and AFM Bahauddin Nasim.

Citing various incidents, including the August 21 gruesome grenade attack, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said Khaleda Zia and her allies always tried to wipe out the name and sign of Awami League. “I’m always Khaleda Zia’s target,” she said, adding that Khaleda Zia had commented that Sheikh Hasina would never be the opposition leader let alone the Prime Minister and then a bomb was planted in Kotalipara.  Later, the PM said, Khaleda remarked that AL would never be able to come to power in 100 years and then the gruesome August 21 grenade attack was launched. “We should not forget the remarks,” the Prime Minister added. Read: Govt conspiring to end Khaleda’s life: Fakhrul When AL came in power, Hasina said, it did not resort to repressive acts against them. “I believe in democracy and the vote of people,” she said.     Turning to the misrules unleashed by the BNP regime, the Prime Minister said some people are there in the country who do not think about the thousands of offences committed by some particular people as crimes.  “They talk against corruption, but speak in favour of a person convicted on graft charges. They’re vocal against terrorism and militancy, but utter no single word against those who are involved in terrorism and militancy as well as convicted in the 10-truck arm-haul case,” Hasina said. “We're noticing a strange situation. They find all faults in Awami League,” bemoaned the Prime Minister, 

Awami League and its associate organisations on Saturday paid tributes to the martyrs of the August 21 grenade attack that left 24 killed and hundreds injured 17 years ago.   Among the dead was Ivy Rahman, the women affairs secretary of Awami League, as hand grenades rained on an anti-terrorism rally addressed by then Opposition leader Sheikh Hasina  at Bangabandhu Avenue. She narrowly escaped the attack. Also read: 17th anniversary of Grenade Attack on AL rally beckons AL leaders and workers gathered at the site of the attack and stood in silence for a few minutes before placing wreaths there in the morning. In observance of the day the ruling party also held a discussion meeting where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke virtually. Also read: Bangladesh observes 17th anniversary of Dhaka grenade attack

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday said the grenade attack on August 21 was not an accident, but rather planned state terrorism.