January 27, 2005

Place of Occurrence:

» Boidder Bazar in Habiganj

Personal Identification:

» Elected Member of Parliament from Habiganj-3 constituency

> Minister of Finance, June 1996 –July 2001

> Former Executive Secretary of ESCAP ( UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) with the rank and status of Under Secretary-General of the United Nations

Attack/Description:

Former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria and five other Awami League (AL) activists were killed in a grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Boidder Bazar in Habiganj yesterday evening.

About 150 others were injured in the grisly attack, similar to the August 21 carnage on Sheikh Hasina's rally in the capital last year that had claimed 24 lives and left several hundred wounded.

SAMS Kibria's nephew Shah Manjurul Huda, 40, and Awami League activists Siddique Ali, 35, and Abdur Rahim, 50, of Bongaon village and Abul Hossain of Shayestaganj were the four who died in the grisly attack. One Awami League activist died at mid-night later at the hospital.

Immediately after the attack, critically wounded SAMS Kibria and Habiganj District Awami League General Secretary Abu Jahid were rushed to the capital by an ambulance.

SAMS Kibria died on the way to Dhaka and doctors at Birdem Hospital declared him dead at about 12:30am, soon after he was taken to the hospital.

Kibria's nephew Shah Manjurul Huda, Awami League activists Siddique Ali and Abdur Rahim died on the spot. Abul Hossain who was brought to Dhaka along with three others died at Birdem at about 1:00am.

SAMS Kibria went to Habiganj on Wednesday on an organizational tour. His elder brother Shah Shamsul Huda and nephew Shah Manjurul Huda accompanied him. He spoke as the chief guest at the meeting organized by Laskarpur Union unit of AL.

THE ATTACKS

Witnesses said the first grenade was hurled at the end of the rally at Boidder Bazar Primary School playground when SAMS Kibria was about to board his car after speaking at the rally.

District Awami League Joint Secretary Alamgir said the grenade was hurled at Kibria at about 7:05pm. "It was a close call," he said as Kibria sustained serious injuries all over his body.

Former chairman of Habiganj Pourashava Shahid Uddin Chowdhury, a witness to the grisly incident, told newsmen later that when leaders were getting down from the dais after the meeting, the first grenade was thrown at them and then the second one came when they ran for cover.

Hit by splinters, the former finance minister and others fell to the ground. SAMS Kibria became unconscious sustaining injuries on different parts of his body with his two legs fatally wounded.

He was first rushed to Habiganj Sadar Hospital where resident medical officer Dr Abdullah gave primary treatment to an unconscious Kibria. After consultation with party President Sheikh Hasina, local leaders decided to send him to Dhaka by an ambulance as they failed to manage a helicopter.

The conditions of district Awami League Joint Secretary Alamgir, Organising Secretary Rajan Chowdhury and General Secretary of district Awami Ainjibi Parishad advocate Abdul Ahad Faruq were also reported critical. They along with scores of other wounded Awami League leaders and workers were admitted to Habiganj Sadar Hospital.

At Habiganj Sadar Hospital, where 37 people with splinter injuries were rushed in, was overcrowded with the friends and relations of the victims.

Relatives alleged of lack of proper treatment and absence of doctors at the hospital.