<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The 21 August Grenade Attack is a tragic event in Bangladesh's history. It occurred during an anti-terrorism rally organized by the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue,Dhaka.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On August 21, 2004, as Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina concluded her speech to a crowd of 20,000 people, 13 grenades were hurled into the crowd from nearby rooftops. According to AL supporters, the motive behind the attack was to eliminate the opposition leader and destabilize the Awami League party.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina told told the BBC Bangla Service on the night August 21, "When the bombs were hurled, my leaders and workers shielded me in such a way that I could escape the attacks."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They have also claimed that the attack was meticulously designed to assassinate Sheikh Hasina and was allegedly orchestrated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the ruling coalition's leader at the time. This conspiracy raised concerns about government involvement in impeding the investigation to protect the masterminds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2020, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir dismissed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's claim that the BNP was involved in the attack. But two years later, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said that the August 21 grenade attack was a horrifying example of the BNP's vindictive politics.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amidst the cascade of grenades on that fateful afternoon of August 21, 2004, Sheikh Hasina whispered to those forming a protective human barrier around her, "Remain still and silent. Recite Doa Yunus... In this moment, if our destiny is to survive, it shall be by our stillness; if it's to meet our end, then here shall it be."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tragically, the attack resulted in 24 fatalities and over 500 injuries. It stands as one of Bangladesh's worst terrorist incidents, leaving a scar on the nation's history and underscoring the violence that political rivalries can breed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amidst others, AL Presidium Members Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Kazi Zafarullah, Mohammad Nasim, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Sahara Khatun, the then Dhaka City Mayor Mohammad Hanif, and Hasina's security personnel Salim and Nazrul Islam Babu, suffered grave injuries during the attack.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While evidence of foreign involvement is not definitive, some sources hint at the participation of foreign groups, including Kashmir-based separatist organizations like Hizb-ul Mujahideen and Tehrik Jihad-e Islam. However, the extent of their involvement remains unclear.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to a confessional statement by Abdul Majed Bhat alias Yusuf Bhat, a member of HuJI, the grenades used in the attack were provided by Muzaffar Ahmad Shah of Tehrik-e-Jihad Islami (TEJI) with the intention of sending them to Indian militant groups</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, Tajuddin, who was entrusted with the grenades, kept them instead of sending them to India. The grenades were later handed over to Mufti Hannan, another member of HuJI, to carry out the attack</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Multiple individuals linked to the attack, including Iqbal Hossain, have been apprehended and sentenced, but questions linger about the depth of accountability, especially concerning those potentially higher up in the chain of command.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to bdnews24, George was arrested in 2005 from Comilla in connection with the attack. According to The Financial Express, Tanvir Ahmed Robin, the acting secretary of the Dhaka South Metropolitan BNP, was arrested in connection with the attack.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The trial of the August 21 grenade attack took place over several years. The cases related to the attack were brought to court, and after 14 years, the trial was completed. The verdict was set for October 10, although the specific outcome of the trial is not mentioned. Currently, 49 people stand indicted and are being tried in two cases related to the murder and blasts from the grenade attack.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 21 August Grenade Attack remains a tragic chapter in Bangladesh's history, symbolizing political conflict, state-sponsored violence, and the complexity of unraveling conspiracy. While details continue to emerge, the event serves as a somber reminder of the need for justice, transparency, and efforts to prevent such acts in the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>