Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina On Saturday paid rich tributes to the victims of August 21 grenade attack in 2004 and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs.
In a message on the eve of the 18th anniversary of the heinous grenade attack, she mentioned that anti-liberation sectarian groups and the group of anti-development and anti-democracy are still vocal in various ways, reports BSS.
Prime Minister urged all to confront any conspiracy of this evil power unitedly and build a hunger-and-poverty-free 'Sonar Bangladesh' as dreamt by Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by 2041.
The premier said the barbaric grenade attack was carried out on that day in 2004 under the direct patronization of BNP-Jamaat alliance during an anti-terrorism rally of Awami League to kill her.
Terming the grenade attack a 'stigmatized day' in the history of Bangladesh, she said, "Our dedicated party leaders and workers saved me from the series of grenade attacks by forming a human shield."
"I survived the attack due to immense blessings of the Almighty but some 24 leaders and workers including president of Mahila Awami League Ivy Rahman embraced martyrdom," the premier said, adding that more than 500 leaders and activists, journalists and security personnel were injured.
Sheikh Hasina said it was the moral obligation of a government to arrest the culprits involved with such a heinous attack. But, the then government of BNP-Jamaat protected the killers and helped attackers to leave the country.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
