Aug 21 victims continue to get Sheikh Hasina’s supports: officials

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DHAKA, Oct 9, 2018 (BSS) – The wounded and family members of slain victims
of August 21, 2004 grenade attack continued to get regular financial and
other supports under Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh
Hasina’s initiative, officials and members of the victim families said today.

“She has not forgotten the victims,” the premier’s the then private
secretary and currently Bangabandhu museum curator NI Khan told BSS ahead of
tomorrow’s crucial court verdict on the gruesome assault 14 years ago.

Khan, a former secretary to the government, said the wounded and slain
victim families were getting regular financial supports from the premier’s
welfare fund and Bangabandhu Memorial Trust.

One of the victims Mohammad Firoz Alam who still carries the mark of his
wounds, said he and his family members were grateful to Sheikh Hasina.

“We got family savings certificate of Taka 10 lakh to run my family. We
also get Taka 5,000 per month from the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust,” Alam
said.

Liton Munshi was killed during the gruesome assault on that fateful day
while his sister Ismat Ara said “Sheikh Hasina has been providing us
different financial and other supports”.

Ismat said after assuming the office as the prime minister Sheikh Hasina
provided a large amount money to Munshi’s family which included two family
savings certificates each worth Taka 5 lakh – one for Munshi’s wife and
children and another for his parents.

The Bangabandhu Museum Curator said the the prime minister was also
providing the victims family members jobs in different private and government
establishments and extending cooperation for their study and treatment and
medical alongside giving flats.

He said the victims were getting financial assistances for treatment and
their children’s study purposes since 2004 from the Bangabandhu Memorial
Trust, established with the donation of inherited property of Sheikh Hasina
and her sister Sheikh Rehana.

“Over 111 victim families are getting donation from Tk 3000 to Tk 5000 each
month from the trust,” Khan said. Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary
Ashraful Alam Khokan said the grenade attack victims were getting financial
assistance regularly from Prime Minister’s Relief Fund as well.

“Some 293 families were given financial and other supports so far,” he
added.