Aug 21 grenade attack aimed at making AL bankrupt in leadership

President M Abdul Hamid has paid rich tributes to the victims of August 21 grenade attack in 2004 and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs.

“August 21 grenade attack in 2004 is a mournful day as the killers launched the history’s barbaric grenade attacks on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in a bid to kill Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina,” said President Abdul Hamid in a message on Friday on the eve of the 17th anniversary of the heinous attack.

Though Sheikh Hasina escaped death by the grace of almighty Allah, Awami Mahila League’s former President Ivy Rahman and 23 other leaders and activists were killed and many others injured, he said.

Abdul Hamid said many of the injured persons in the attack became crippled for life and now they are living in endless miseries.

“The August 21, 2004 grenade attack was aimed at making the Awami League and Bangladesh in leadership bankrupt and stopping democratic process and establishing autocracy and militancy,” he said, adding that the people of the country did not let it happen.

The President expressed his optimism that the pro-democratic and patriotic people would come forward being imbued with the spirit of the War of Liberation to build a dignified, happy and prosperous Bangladesh.

He said mutual respect and tolerance are a must to make the country’s democracy meaningful.