21 August grenade attack was domestic-foreign conspiracy against the BNP regime: Rizvi 

The 21 August 2004 grenade attack at an Awami League rally was a "domestic-foreign conspiracy against the then Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led government," claimed BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

"Even today, the prime minister [Sheikh Hasina] has given misleading and false statements about the 21 August attack. Sheikh Hasina held BNP, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman responsible for the grenade attack and gave a nonsensical speech," the BNP senior joint secretary general said at a press conference at the party's headquarters on Monday (21 August) afternoon.

Rizvi's remarks came hours after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed a discussion arranged by the Awami League, where she said, "There is no doubt that Khaleda, Tarique and their men were completely involved in the grenade attack. It was also revealed in the investigation."

Rizvi said, "In fact, at this moment, the Awami League has almost zero support from the public. Hence, they are making such statements. Awami League and its leader Sheikh Hasina are stuck in the politics of envy.

"Sheikh Hasina wants to push the country towards a dangerous situation. But now the public has united and they will trample all the farces and lies, end authoritarianism and usher in the era of democracy very soon."

The BNP leader went on to say that the government has been spreading lies and propaganda about BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman over the 21 August as part of a masterplan to undermine the image of nationalist forces at home and abroad.

"It is a ridiculous attempt to hatch a deep conspiracy to remove Tarique Rahman from politics. Sheikh Hasina is proceeding along the line of revenge and vengeance to wipe out the family of the martyred President Ziaur Rahman."

Referring to the day of the attack, the BNP senior joint secretary general said, "At that time, members of the police force came to know that the [AL] rally venue was suddenly shifted from Muktangan to Gulistan in front of the party office of Awami League without informing anyone.

"In the changed situation, the law enforcement forces returned to the police station and filed a general diary at the Motijheel police station at around 1:30 pm regarding the change in venue.

"The question is – when the chief guest of the rally was Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the opposition at that time, on whose decision was the venue changed? Who changed it?

"Were the law enforcement forces informed of the change in venue?"