10th anniv of August 21 grenade attack today

Today (Thursday) is the 10th anniversary of the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital that killed 24 party leaders and activists, including AL women affairs secretary Ivy Rahman, wife of late President Zillur Rahman.
The attack also injured 500 others, including Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, now Prime Minister.
A decade ago, the dreadful grenade attack was conducted on August 21, 2004. At least 13 grenades were thrown from the rooftop of a nearby building soon after Sheikh Hasina, then opposition leader, finished her speech at the rally.
Bangladesh Awami League and its associate organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes, including discussions commemorating the day as ‘Grenade Attack Day’.
The Prime Minister and Awami League President, Sheikh Hasina, along with the top party leaders, will place wreaths at the temporarily set up altar in front of the party central office at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue around 4:00 pm on Thursday.
Sheikh Hasina will attend a ‘Doa Mahfil’ and also meet the family members of those who were killed in the grenade attack on the spot. The Prime Minister will also take part in a discussion meeting there.
Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam in a statement on Wednesday urged all to observe the day in a befitting manner.
He also asked the leaders of all districts, metropolitan cities, upazilas, municipalities, unions and ward units across the country to observe the day in a befitting manner.
Meanwhile, the grenade attack case is now under trial at the Speedy Tribunal Court-1 in Dhaka.
A case was earlier filed with Motijheel police station on August 22, 2004, the day following the gruesome grenade attack. Initially, the investigation of the case was entrusted to Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and later it was transferred to Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
ASP Abdur Rashid of CID was made the investigation officer of the case. But he could not complete the investigation as he went into retirement. Then, ASP Munshi Atiqur Rahman was made IO of the case. But he failed to unearth the mystery of the grenade attack case. Rather, he allegedly diverted the case by staging much-talked-about ‘Jodge Miah’ drama.
Later ASP Fazlul Kabir of CID took charge to investigate the case and finally submitted charge sheet before the court accusing 22 people in June 2008.
During the trial, the court observed that the IO failed to detect the source of grenades and also who were involved in bringing the consignment. Later, the court ordered further investigation into the case in 2009.
Following the court order, then ASP Abdul Kah’ar Akand of CID started reinvestigation into the case in 2009.
After investigation, ASP Abdul Kah’ar Akand, who is now serving as SS of CID (Dhaka Metro), detected the source of grenades as well as who were involved in bringing the consignment.
He submitted supplementary charge sheet adding names of another 30 people, including ASP Abdur Rashid and ASP Munshi Atique, two former investigators of the case, before the court on September 8 in 2011. The court in the meantime took depositions of 98 prosecution witnesses.
ASP Rashid and ASP Atique were accused in the case for their alleged involvement in diverting the investigation of the case.
Talking to UNB, Special Super of CID (Dhaka Metro) Abdul Kah’ar Akand said that during the investigation he found out that Mazed Bhatt, a national of Indian state of Kashmir, brought the grenade consignment from Pakistan. Bhatt is now in custody.
Among the 52 accused in the case, 19 people have remained in hiding, while eight accused, including former IOs of the case-ASP Rashid and ASP Atique-are now on bail.
SS Kah’ar Akand hoped that the trial would be completed very soon.
Replying to a question, he said an absconding accused, Tajuddin, who is now staying in South Africa, was learnt to have been arrested there. Steps have been taken to bring the accused back, he added.