Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina has paid her tributes to the victims of the grenade attack on a party rally 14 years ago.
Tuesday marks the anniversary of the 2004 attack on an anti-terrorism rally on the street in front of the party offices at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu Avenue.
Around 10am, Hasina arrived at the site and placed a wreath at the memorial in front of the party headquarters.
Flanked by cabinet members, senior party leaders and representatives from allies in the 14-party coalition, she observed a one-minute silence.
The attack on Aug 21 that year was carried out on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue during the BNP-Jamaat’s regime.
The then-leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina was the leading speaker at the rally.
She was stepping off the truck, which was being used as a dais when the assailants hurled the grenades into the rally. Investigators said 13 to 14 grenades were detonated on the day.
Among the 24 people killed in the blasts was Bangladesh Mohila Awami League president Ivy Rahman, wife of senior Awami League leader Zillur Rahman, who was later to be elected the country’s president. The attack left Sheikh Hasina with hearing problems.
Late Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif was among the over 500 people injured in the explosions.