The attack undoubtedly aimed to kill AL President Sheikh Hasina & to make vacuum in the leadership of Awami Leageue

AL chalked out a two-day program to observe the sixth anniversary of the August-21 grenade attack on its party rally

The grenade attack on Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue on 21 August 2004 was undoubtedly aimed at assassination of Sheikh Hasina. Before she could leave the place of occurrence there were at least nine grenade blasts and many rounds of shooting. A very determined and well-planned attack was launched and it was carried out in about a couple of minutes. Despite heavy, although less than normal, deployment of police personnel and strict security arrangements in the area, the criminals fled the spot safely. By the race of Allah Sheikh Hasina escaped this dastardly attack as a number of Awami League leaders and workers laid down their lives, some in attempting to save her and others as innocent victims of the barbarous arrack. We bemoan the loss of Ivy Rahman, Secretary of women’s affairs of Awami League, and 23 other dead souls. The sudden multiple explosions of grenades just after Sheikh Hasina's address from a truck deck resulted in immediate chaos, horrific deaths and bewildering in open daylight. A hail of gunfire apparently targeting Sheikh Hasina followed the serial grenade explosions. The deadly attacks started at 5:23pm just when Hasina wrapped up a rally of around 25,000 supporters protesting the recent Sylhet blasts with a call 'to end the rule of the government that inspires bomb attacks'.Party leaders including the then mayor of Dhaka Mohammad Hanif and Sheikh Hasina's personal bodyguards tried to protect her by instantly forming a human shield receiving grenade splinters in their bodies. Hundreds of leaders and workers are still fighting for life and many have been permanently maimed. Bloody 21 August still haunts many victims.

AL leaders, activists and supporters who were brutally killed by 21 august 2004 Grenade attack:

Begum Ivy Rahman, Former Woman Affairs Secretary, Bangladesh Awami League; Moshtak Ahmed Sentu  Assistant secretary, Bangladesh Awami League; Lance Corporal (retd.) Mahbubur Rashid, Personal Security staff;  Rafiqul Islam (68) who was known as Ada Chacha ,Advisor, Dhaka City Awami League;            Sufia Begum (40),Woman Awami League, Dhaka City Unit Leader; Hasina Momtaz Rina (45),President. Dhaka City Woman Awami League ward no. 15 ; Liton Munshi alias litu, President, Union Jubo League(AL youth front); Ratan Sikder(40), AL supporter & Businessman;   Md. Hanif (50) Dhaka city Labour League Leader of ward no. 30; Mamun Mridha(21), Second year student of Govt. Poet Nazrul College, Dhaka & AL supporter; Belal Hossain, Asst. Organizing Secretary, Jubo League, 69 no. ward  unit of Dhaka city; Aminul Islam alias Moazzem(25) ,Awami League activist; Abdul Kuddus patwari (40), Member, National Committee, Bangladesh Awami Shechchashebok  League; Atik Sarker(21), Jubo League leader  of 84 no. ward unit of  Dhaka city; Nasiruddin Sarder (40),Activist of Labour League, Dhaka Chapter; Rezia Begum(45),Awami Shechchashebok  League Leader; Abul Kashem(50) ;Zahed Ali(35); Momin Ali(35); Shamsuddin(55); Abul Kalam Azad(38) President, Jubo League, Balughat unit, Dhaka and Ishak Mia.

More than 500 AL leaders, activists, supporters and meeting listeners were injured during the barbaric grenade attack.

Awami League (AL) has chalked out a two-day programme to observe the sixth anniversary of the August-21 grenade attack on its party rally.

August 20,2010

Bangladesh Awami League Joint secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif in a statement yesterday strongly condemned the remarks of BNP’s joint secretary on 17th august country wide bombings and PM Sheikh Hasina. AL joint secretary Hanif termed this comment as political bluff, total false, baseless and cunning. In the statement Hanif said, AL president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina commented with authentic evidence on last Jamaat-BNP govt’s involvement on 17 August 2005 nationwide bombings. Hanif added that this fanatic vested quarter is responsible for Ramna bomb attack, Journalist killings at Khulna, bombings at cinema Halls at Mymensingh and Sylhet, bombings targeting British High Commissioner and Sylhet City Mayor and grenade attack on the Awami League rally on 21 August 2004. Sheikh Hasina fortunately escaped the attack with serious injury but 24 Awami League died on the attack including Ivy Rahman. But the then Jamaat-BNP govt hindered the investigation process and their ill motivated political weird activities failed the level of medieval brutalities.  

August 19,2010

Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday called upon the BNP not to confuse countrymen through spreading frequent falsehood and take lesson from the past misdeeds for which the people had denied the party in the last national elections. In a statement here, the AL general secretary also urged the BNP leadership to refrain from cheating with people regarding some settled historic issues, like the recognition of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation.Ashraful Islam, also LRGD and Cooperatives Minister, expressed his grave concerned over BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain's remark that "the Constitution should be amended considering the people's sentiment whether they will accept Sheikh Mujib as Father of the Nation or not." He termed such statement regarding a settled political issue as a part of the evil intentions to distort the history of the country. Ashraful Islam was very critical on the role of the main opposition in the changed political circumstances and said, "BNP is consisted with the defeated forces of the War of Independence like Razakar, Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Jamaat-e-Islami." "Nothing good can be expected from the BNP and their allies at this moment," he added. The AL general secretary said, "Bangabandhu had scarified his life for the welfare of the country and its people. Bangabandhu 's contribution for the emancipation of the countrymen is beyond questionable. Ashraful called upon the BNP to show due respect to the rule of law of the country and not to confuse people through spreading falsehood and issuing fabricated statement

Country’s third sea port in Patuakhali soon

August 18,2010

The government is planning to open 10 new Bangladesh missions abroad soon along with recruiting commercial councilors in the existing missions for promoting trade and business and attracting foreign investments in the country. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina disclosed this while the directors of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) led by its President Abul Kashem Khan called on her at her office here today. During the meeting, the Prime Minister underscored the need for investment both in private and public sectors to ensure overall development of the country, said Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad after the meeting. Sheikh Hasina said her government during its previous term allowed Television channels, Mobile telephone Operator and Electricity generation in private sector as it wants flourishment of private sector that is vital for economic development of the country. Describing electricity as the lifeline of economic activities as well as to attract foreign investment, Sheikh Hasina said her government is working relentlessly to overcome the crisis in these sectors. She said her present government has already added 1000 megawatt of electricity to the national grid during its last one and a half year and it has eased the complexities for setting up new power plant in private sector. In this context, she mentioned that that government has already issued work orders for setting up a number of power plants with a capacity of 2,500 megawatt in the private sector. Referring to her previous government's role in increasing the power generation, Sheikh Hasina said the last Awami League government had raised the country's power production upto 4300 MW from 1600 MW. Apart from this, she said the previous Awami League government initiated various programmes to produce 5,800 MW electricity considering growing demand of the country. But, she regretted that the BNP- Jamaat government did not take any initiative to implement the projects. Sheikh Hasina said the BNP government could not produce a single megawatt of electricity during its tenure, rather it had destroyed the country's vital sector through mismanagement and corruption.

PM asks authorities to ensure cent percent admission facilities for every SSC and HSC passed student

August 18,2010

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the authorities concerned to ensure cent percent admission facilities for every SSC and HSC passed students into colleges and universities. She gave the directives at an inaugural function of the 1st senior staff course and unveiling plaque of administrative building of National Academy for Educational Management (Naem) at its auditorium. “Every year, we are to hear students are facing problems to get admitted into colleges and universities. It can not continue further,” she said. The prime minister declared that the government will establish universities in every major district to provide adequate facility of higher education to the eligible students. She said that the government has already planned to set up universities in Rangamati, Rangpur and Barisal adding that more schools will be set up in the city. Drawing attention to Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid who was sitting on the podium, the prime minister said adequate admission facilities must be in place so every student who passed the SSC and HSC examinations get their seats in colleges and universities. Sheikh Hasina also asked the education ministry and the departments concerned to ensure discipline in every aspect of the education sector. “No indiscipline in the education sector would be tolerated,” she said. The prime minister was highly critical of 'admission trade' in colleges, teachers' coaching business as well as their indifference to attend classes in public universities.