21 August grenade attack verdict should be implemented
Today is the 16th anniversary of the 21 August grenade attack, considered one of the most brutal killings in our political history. On this day in 2004, a militant group carried out a grenade attack on a rally organised by Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue that killed 18 people, including Ivy Rahman, and injured hundreds. The main target of this heinous attack was Awami League president (current prime minister) Sheikh Hasina during the tenure of the BNP-led four-party alliance.
It is unfortunate that the then four-party coalition government, instead of bringing the real culprits to justice, staged Joj Mia's drama. The evidence was removed immediately after the incident. The government-appointed judicial inquiry commission also interpreted attack as a sabotage of the intelligence of the neighbouring country. The investigation of the grenade attack did not proceed.
The grenade attack on 21 August is as barbaric as the 15 August massacre in the history of Bangladesh. This incident has given rise to insurmountable doubt and mistrust in national politics.
After the caretaker government came to power in 2007, the investigation was resumed. On 11 June, 2008, the CID filed charges against 22 people, including Harkatul Jihad leader Mufti Hannan. After the Awami League came to power in 2009, the court granted the state's request for further investigation into the case. The CID filed a supplementary charge sheet on 3 July, 2011. A total of 30 new people, including BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and former state minister for home Lutfuzzaman Babar, were charged in the case.
After a long hearing, on 10 October, 2018, speedy trial court in Dhaka sentenced 19 people to death. Among those sentenced to death were Lutfuzzaman Babar, deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, former director general of DGFI and NSI. The court also sentenced 19 people to life imprisonment, including Tarique Rahman, Haris Chowdhury, former MP Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad and others. Of the 19 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment, 13 are fugitives. The three convicts have already been sentenced to death in another case.
According to the case file and testimony, members of the militant group took part in the attack. The then ruling leaders including top officials in charge of state security took part in the planning of the attack. After the incident, a militant named Maulana Tajuddin was sent abroad with a passport with a different name.
The judicial court ruled in the case earlier which is now awaiting a decision in the high court. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said the appeal and death reference hearing on the court's verdict would be a priority in the high court. The people want the appeal to be disposed of as soon as possible and the culprits to be punished. At the same time, steps should be taken to bring back the convicted fugitives.
The grenade attack on 21 August is as barbaric as the 15 August massacre in the history of Bangladesh. This incident has given rise to insurmountable doubt and mistrust in national politics. It has damaged the trend of understanding in politics. Bangladesh Nationalist Party will have to take responsibility for the grenade attack on 21 August due to its inability to carry out justice as the then ruling political party and the involvement of the party's people in the incident. We do not think that BNP can avoid the responsibility of the attack by keeping those leaders who were convicted in the verdict of the case in the party.