DHAKA, Aug 21, 2021 (BSS)- Different political parties,  including ruling Awami League and other socio-cultural organisations, today observed the 17th anniversary of the grisly grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) anti-terrorism rally in the capital on August 21, 2004 in a befitting manner.

Ruling party Awami League (AL), its associate bodies, left-leaning allies and other socio-cultural organizations paid homage to the victims of the brutal grenade attack that killed 24 people and wounded nearly 500 others.

Earlier, the day's programmes started with placing wreaths at the memorial set up in front of AL’s central office in the city’s Bangabandhu Avenue to pay rich tributes to the memories of those who were killed in the attack.

At first, on behalf of AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, several senior AL leaders led by Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader paid homage by placing wreath there in memory of the martyrs of the grenade attack.

Later, Quader along with other senior leaders paid tributes to the grenade attack victims.

AL presidium members Matia Chowdhury, Dr Abdur Razzaque, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam, SM Kamal Hossain and Advocate Afzal Hossain, Liberation War Affairs Secretary Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, Cultural Affairs Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil, Information and Research Secretary Dr Selim Mahmud, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi and Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua were present on the occasion, among others.

After placing the wreath, the leaders observed a one-minute silence in respect to the memories of the grenade attack victims.

Then the associate bodies of AL, its left-leaning allies and other socio-cultural organizations paid homage to the victims of the brutal grenade attack.

Dhaka city south and north units of AL, Krishak League, Sramik League, Jubo League, Chhatra League, Secha Sebok League, Awami Matsajibi League also paid homage to the August 21 grenade victims.

Leaders of the Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote led by its General Secretary Arun Sarkar Rana paid homage to the August 21 grenade victims by laying wreaths at the altar.

Marking the day, the Awami League organized a discussion at its central office in Bangabandhu Avenue at 10:30 am, where Awami League President Sheikh Hasina presided over the programme through a video conference from the Ganobhaban here.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, AL Presidium Members Matia Chowdhury, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul-Alam Hanif, Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Central leader Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Organizing Secretary SM Kamal Hossain, Dhaka South city Unit of AL President Abu Ahmad Monnafi and Dhaka north city Unit of AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman also addressed it, among others.

Publicity and Publication Secretary of the AL Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap conducted the programme.

Meanwhile, the Shahbagh Thana Branch of Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote organized a discussion at Segunbagicha in the city on the occasion of the Aug 21st Grenade Attack.

Acting President of Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote Rafiqul Alam, Co-President and actor Shakil Khan, General Secretary Arun Sarkar Rana, Joint General Secretary Actress Tarin Jahan and Actress Tanveen Sweety addressed it, among others, with Shahbagh Thana Branch President Dilip Sarkar in the chair.

The gruesome grenade attack was carried out at an anti-terrorism rally of Awami League (AL) on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on August 21, 2004 aiming to bankrupt the party leadership during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government.

With the grace of the Almighty, the then opposition leader and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other front-ranking AL leaders narrowly escaped the carnage.

But, 24 people including the then Women Affairs Secretary of Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman, Ivy Rahman, were killed and over 500 others injured in the attack and many of them became crippled for life.