DHAKA, Aug 22, 2023 (BSS) - Citing testimonies of a day labour Joj Miah, who had been framed by BNP-Jamaat led government to cover up their role in the heinous grenade attack, Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy reminded a grueling patronization of militants and the cabal of BNP leaders, led by Tarique Rahman, behind the blast.
With a video posted on twitter, Joy remarked: "How Tarique Rahman Hired and Unleashed Militants for 21st August Grenade Attack and Later Farmed a Youth named Joj Miah"?
Known as Hawa Bhaban plot, the carnage descended on an AL rally in 2004, when militants, directed by Tarique Rahman, hurled grenades leaving at least 24 dead with then opposition chief Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaping death with ear injuries.
Hawa Bhaban was featured heavily in media reports as alternative powerhouse operated by Tarique with access limited to his cabal of confidantes including politicians, government officials, militants and businessmen, between 2001 and 2006.
According to verdict, in the run up to the attack Tarique met militants, now serving sentences, enquired and endorsed the plot that mainly focused on physical liquidation of Sheikh Hasina.
But after the attack, a cover up drama was churned by then BNP-Jamaat led government that saw a youth presented before the press by law enforcement only to be unraveled by media investigations that Joj, picked up by law enforcers had no connection with the blast, thrown behind bars in exchange of money offered by police.
The video also contains another confession of dreaded militant leader Abdul Hannan who led the Harkat-ul Jihad al Islami (HuJI) that found responsible for the attack, where the now convicted militant admitted to conspire with BNP's top brass in the mission to eliminate Sheikh Hasina.
"In that chilling plot, a number of militants received state patronage who took part in the deadly grenade attack on AL rally that left at least 24 Awami League activists dead.
Then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped the assassination attempt with ear injuries. To cover up that state sponsored attack, Joj Miah, a hapless youth, had been framed by law enforcers and then leaders of BNP Jamaat led government held him responsible for the carnage" reminds Sajeeb Wazed Joy on twitter.
This video brings flashback to the ordeals of Joj Miah and BNP-Jamaat's blatant patronization for militants to decimate Awami League and progressive camps.
The video also contains interviews from senior journalists who unraveled the drama churned by BNP-Jamaat led government back then.
Meanwhile, Almost two decades of BNP top brass' denial of "orchestrating" the grisly August 21 grenade attack aimed at then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina and the elevation of Tarique Rahman as the acting chief of the party despite being sentenced to life imprisonment for "masterminding the attack" negated BNP's claim of being a democratic party and upended Bangladesh's political landscape forever, political analysts say.