Awami League marks August 21 grenade attack anniversary

The Awami League on Wednesday marks the 15^th anniversary of the gruesome grenade attack on August 21 back in 2004.

Thousands of AL leaders and activists with floral wraths were seen standing in front of the AL Party central office in the capital.

The AL and its associate organisations placed floral wreaths at a makeshift altar in front of the party office on Bangabandhu Avenue at around 9:15am.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister and General Secretary of Bangladesh AL Obaidul Quader placed a wreath on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Md Delwar Hossain, an AL activist and victim of the gruesome 21 August grenade attack, who lost his right eye in the attack, also came to commemorate the day.

Delwar Hossain told The Business Standard that the sound of the grenade explosions still rings in his ears, and that the sound has been haunting him for the past 15 years.

He said, "I was listening to our leader's speech. The moment she said, 'Joy Bangla Joy Bangabandhu', grenades exploded near her makeshift stage. I felt some smoke entered my right eye and it took away my eyesight permanently before I could understand anything."

"Thousands of people started rushing and crying within a second. I fell on the ground in shock, and people started running over me. I was seriously injured, but my only concern was whether our leader Sheikh Hasina was safe. Thanks to Allah, she was unharmed," he added.

Delwar Hossain continues, "From that day on even a squeaking sound frightens me, and reminds me of the sound of grenades and the incident I witnessed."

The attack killed 24 people including the then president of Bangladesh Mohila AL, and late President Zillur Rahman's wife, Ivy Rahman, and injured over 500 others.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, then the opposition leader, narrowly escaped death, but did receive severe injuries.

Another victim and AL activist Kazi Sahanara Yeasmin said, "Every human being has some experiences that they can't express in words. That gruesome grenade attack was the biggest incident of my life."

Sahanara Yeasmin further added, "When the day comes every year, I come here to place floral wreaths to mark the anniversary of the attack. The howling of people still rings in my ears, the vision of smoke and the mess created by the explosion pops-up in front of my eyes."

On October 10 last year, a Dhaka court sentenced 19 people to death, including Lutfozzaman Babar, former state minister for home, for involvement in the attack.

Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, and 18 others were sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in the case.