The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The central leaders of Awami League (AL) yesterday demanded neutral re-investigation through a special commission' of the grenade attack on the AL rally in Dhaka on August 21,2004 to bring the masterminds of the attack to justice.

The dastardly attack killed 24 people including its women's affairs secretary Ivy Rahman, and paralysed more than 200 seriously.

They made the demand while addressing the leaders and activists of the party at a protest meeting to mark the fourth anniversary of the grenade attack.

The AL leaders said that the past BNP-Jamaat government tried to save the real rogues by diverting the issue as some of the policy makers of that government were directly involved in the attack.

AL acting president Zillur Rahman said the anti liberation force, which killed Bangabandhu sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, tried to kill Sheikh Hasina several times.

But the democracy loving people of the country thwarted their heinous design every time and saved their beloved leader Sheikh Hasina,he noted.

He also criticised the BNP-Jamaat government for not conducting neutral investigation saying the attack was the result of patronisation of the fundamentalists.

AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury expressed her sympathy to the members of the bereaved families and those injured in the grenade attack.

Al presidium member Amir Hossain Amu alleged that the caretaker government was not also investigating the attack properly for unknown reason. He demanded appointment of skilled officers for neutral investigation.

AL presidium members Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sen Gupta, Begum Matia Chowdhury said the grenade attackers would be tried and punished if AL was voted to power.

A two-minute silence was observed at the meeting to mark the tragedy,

Different front organisations of AL placed flowers at the spot of the carnage. The organisations included Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, Awami Secchasebok League, Bangladesh Chattra League, Bangladesh Krishok League, Shisu O Jubo Sangskritik Jot and Jatiya Sromik League.

Bangladesh Communist Party, Gonotronty Party and Bangladesh Sammabadi Dal placed wreaths and joined in different obituary references as the partners of the AL led 14- party alliance.

Many of the people, who sustained severe injuries in the brutal grenade attack, are still smarting under pain and agony and living a pitiable life.