Quader calls Tarique mastermind of grenade attack, Fakhrul dismisses charges
A day before a Dhaka court is expected to deliver judgement on a 2004 attack on an opposition rally, top leaders of ruling Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday engaged in war of words over the incident.
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader accused BNP acting chairman Tareque Rahman of masterminding the attack at Bangabandhu Avenue on 21 August 2004 that claimed 24 lives.
However, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the BNP, which was then in power, rejected outright the charges, terming Tareque completely innocent.
Quader, speaking at a programme in Manik Mia Avenue, alleged, “Everybody knows Tareque and Hawa Bhaban (a BNP office widely considered alaternative power house) is the mastermind of the attack. So there is nothing to hide."
The AL leader then said, "We don’t want to comment before the verdict is given. And we expect justice from the court.”
In a rebuttal of the AL's accusation, the BNP's Mirza Fakhrul alleged that names of Tareque and other BNP leaders were included into the lawsuit, out of "political vengeance" of the AL.
“We can swear that none of the BNP leaders, be it Tareque, Abdus Salam Pintu or any else, was involved in the attack," Fakhrul told a programme at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.
Because, he argued, there must be certain motive behind any killing. "Who is the beficiary of the incident? It’s rather Awami League [which benefitted from it politically]. They are trying to use the issue to destroy the BNP,” the BNP leader added.
A speedy trial tribunal is set to deliver its verdict on Wednesday in two cases relating to the 21 August grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004. Twenty four leaders and activists, including the AL's women affairs secretary and late president Zillur Rahman's wife Ivy Rahman, were killed and 300 others injured.
Referring to the delay in disposal of the cases, Fakhrul said Tareque’s name was not in the charge-sheet submitted during the govenment that installed through the changeover on 11 January 2007. The AL which replaced that regime, later incorporated names of the BNP leaders.
Terming acts of the AL regime as ‘fascist’, Fakhrul asked the partymen to take to the street to oust it.
“No one will remove this government and bring you to power; Only the people can do it. Our duty is to wage a mass movement taking the comoners with us,” said Fakhrul.
The programme Fakhrul addressed was chaired by the BNP chairperson’s advisor Aman Ullah Aman. It was also addressed by BNP vice chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, advisor Habibur Rahman Habib, joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokon, organising secretary Fazlul Haque Milan and publicity secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie.
About possible repercussion to Wednesday's verdict, the AL’s Quader said the law enforcers are prepared to take stern action if the BNP activists try to create any anarchy.
The AL leader said, “The BNP is trying to create massive violence in the name of movement. But they would not be able to repeat their activities of 2014. The people will thwart any such attempt of the BNP.”