A human chain protest was held on Thursday at the High Court premises organized by the “Mayor Mohammad Hanif Memorial Foundation” demanding the execution of Tarique Zia, the mastermind behind the August 21 grenade attack.
On August 21, 2004, during an ongoing Awami League program, a grenade attack was carried out to dethrone the then leader of the opposition and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with a plot to assassinate her, said a press release.
Speakers and participators of the human chain said the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal had sentenced 19 people of the BNP-Jamaat alliance to death for their involvement in the grenade attack.
But despite being the planner of the attack, Tarique Zia and 19 others were sentenced to life imprisonment, which is unacceptable, said the speakers.
Also, it was said that attempts have been made to divert the most brutal incident in history, and a full investigation was demanded along with the highest criminal punishment for Tarique Zia, added the release.
The human chain was attended by the relatives of 24 dead and several injured survivors of the grenade attack.
On the fateful day of August 21, 16 years ago, 24 people, including Ivy Rahman, then president of the Mohila Awami League, were killed in a horrific grenade attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka.
Hundreds of Awami League leaders and activists, including the then leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina, were injured in the incident.
During the grenade attack, the very first mayor of undivided Dhaka, Mohammad Hanif, got injured while trying to save Awami League Sheikh Hasina by making a human shield.
Nazim Uddin Anis, Morshed Kamal, Harun Ur Rashid, Mohammad Jewel, Awami League leader Haji Hafeez, Atiqur Rahman Swapan, Juba League leader Babu Bhuiyan, Mokhlesur Rahman Romel, Bangladesh Chhatra League Leader Miraj Hossain, Shwechasebak League leader Bashir Uddin Sumon, Ekota Unnayan Sangha general secretary Sajeed Bepari, Hanif Smriti Sangsad president Abdul Qayyum, General Secretary Md. Manik, Mayor Mohammad Hanif Memorial Foundation Public Relations Officer Habibul Islam Sumon, Md Kaushik Ahmed Sohel, Md Sadek Mithu, Shahadat Hossain Miko, and others also spoke, on the occasion.
