CHATTOGRAM, Aug 20, 2019 (BSS) – All preparations are afoot to observe the 15th anniversary of the grisly grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) anti-terrorism rally in Dhaka on August 21 in 2004 tomorrow in a befitting manner in the city as elsewhere in the district.
Different political parties and their front organizations have chalked out all preparations to pay homage to the Martyred of August 21 who sacrificed their lives for establishing eradication of terrorism and militancy from the country.
The political parties including Awami League (AL), its front associate bodies, its left-leaning allies, other political parties, social-cultural and professional organisations have finalised their respective day-long programmes.
Apart from the Chattogram city, north and south district units of Awami League (AL) and their front organisations, scores of socio-cultural, literary organisations, trade unions and professional bodies have chalked out elaborate programmers to mark the day.
The day’s programmes includes hoisting of the national and black flags at half-mast atop all party offices, placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu and 24 leaders and workers of AL including Ivey Rahman who sacrificed their lives on August 21, at 8 am tomorrow at the respective party offices of AL, Qurankhwani, Milad Mahfil, discussion meetings and protest rally and mourning processions in the morning.
To mark the anniversary, special prayers will also be held at different mosques and other places of worships in the city and districts seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of 24 leaders and workers of AL who were assassinated in the fateful day on August 21 in 2004.
Leaders and workers of AL and its front organisations and professional bodies will wear black badges throughout the day, Advocate Iftakher Saimul, joint secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, Chattogram city chapter told BSS.
One-minute silence before bringing out mourning processions will be observed in all respective party offices.
Chattogram city and south district AL will organise separate discussion meetings at Zilla Parishad auditorium at 3 pm and 10 am respectively.
Chattogram north district AL will also organise a discussion meeting at its office at 3 pm tomorrow.
The gruesome grenade attack was carried out at an anti-terrorism rally of Awami League (AL) at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital Dhaka on August 21 in 2004. But, 24 people including the then Mahila AL president and wife of late president Zillur Rahman were killed and over 500 others injured in the attack and many of them became crippled for life.
By the grace of the Almighty, the then opposition leader and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other front ranking leaders of AL narrowly escaped from the most shocking crime in the political history in the world.