President, PM pay tributes to 21 August grenade attack victims

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today paid rich tributes to the victims of 21 August grenade attack in 2004.

In separate messages on the eve of the 19th anniversary of the heinous grenade attack, they prayed for eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyrs.

In his message, the President said on this day in 2004, 24 activists including Ivy Rahman, former president of Bangladesh Mahila Awami League, were martyred in a barbaric grenade attack on a public rally of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) on Bangabandhu Avenue in the city.

From the language movement of 1952 to the United Front's 1954 elections, the anti-military movement of 1958, the Six-Point movement of 1966, '69's Mass Uprising' and the elections of 1970 to the great War of Liberation of 1971, the streets were stained by the dictator's bullets, he added.

The first attack on democracy in independent Bangladesh came on 15 August 1975, he said, adding that on that day, the greatest architect of country's independence and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib and most of their family members had to die at the hands of anti-liberation assassins, he said.

On 3 November 1975, four national leaders were killed in jail, he added.

Even then, the conspiratorial murderous circle did not stop, said Shahabuddin, adding that they planned to kill Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu, on 21 August 2004, during a public rally, though the most brutal grenade attack in history.

By God's mercy, leader Sheikh Hasina survived but 24 party leaders were martyred, he said, adding that more than 500 leaders and activists, including journalists and security personnel, were injured.

The head of the state said the aim of the assassins was to make Bangladesh and Awami League leaderless, stop the democratic process and establish dictatorship and militancy in the country.

Inspired by the spirit of the great Liberation War, the president hoped that the democracy-loving people would cooperate with the government to build a happy-prosperous Bangladesh in the days to come.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the grenade attack on 21 August 2004 was carried out as a continuation of the conspiracy that started with the brutal killing of the greatest Bangalee ever and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on 15 August 1975.

The gruesome killings of 21 August will be marked as a shameful chapter in the history of Bangladesh politics, the premier added.

Noting that the anti-liberation sectarian groups are still conspiring in various ways, she urged all to work together to resist any conspiracy of this evil power and make Bangladesh a safe and peaceful home for the next generation.