Quader describes August 21 attacks as planned terrorist acts

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File photo

DHAKA, Aug 22, 2020 (BSS) – Awami League General Secretary Obaidul
Quader today said the gruesome August 21 grenade attack was not an
accident rather it was a planned terrorist act with abusing state
machinery.

“BNP perpetrated the grenade attacks abusing the state machinery
when the party was in power. August 21 grenade attacks were carried
out in continuation of August 15 carnage,” he said.

Quader, also minister for road transport and bridges, was addressing
a memorial meeting, joining it virtually from his official residence
on parliament premises, arranged by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at
its Bangabandhu Avenue central office here marking the 16th anniversary
of August 21 grenade attacks.

Recalling the incident of the grenade attacks on AL rally, he said
on that period, party volunteers and workers generally took positions
in and around the stage of rallies and surrounding buildings, but the
workers were halted to carry out their duties on that day.

The AL general secretary said the then Four-party Alliance
government led by BNP halted the trial and investigation into the
grenade attacks and staged ‘Joj Mia’ drama to divert the incident to a
different direction.

Terming Hawa Bhaban, the alternative power house of the then BNP
government, as mastermind of the attacks, Quader said all evidences
were destroyed after the attacks and they (BNP) blocked
Scotland Yard from investigating into the incident while cooperation was not extended to FBI to investigate it.

Mentioning that BNP’s top leadership had knew everything about the
blue print, he said various documents and statements of Mufti Hannan,
kingpin of banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, and
others revealed who perpetrated the grisly attacks and who held
meetings to lunch it.

AL Presidium Member Abdur Rahman, BCL General Secretary Lekhok
Bhattacharjee, Dhaka University unit of BCL President Sanjit Chandra
Das and General Secretary Saddam Hussain addressed the meeting, among
others, with BCL President Al-Nahean Khan Joy in the chair.