Tarique was involved in Aug 21 grenade attack

Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta yesterday told a Dhaka court that BNP leader Tarique Rahman and several others were involved in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack.

As a prosecution witness and victim of the attack, he said this while giving his testimony before the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka for over an hour.    

Judge Shahed Nuruddin recorded the statement and fixed December 17 for the next hearing of the two cases filed over the attack.

Suranjit broke down in tears and said the attack on an Awami League rally on August 21, 2014 was aimed at the assassination of party chief and then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, who narrowly escaped death, but it killed 24 leaders and workers of her party, including senior leader Ivy Rahman, and injured 300 others.

He said, "I also came to know from different newspapers and Awami League leaders that the conspiracy and the plan of the grenade attack was worked out at Hawa Bhaban in presence of BNP leader Tarique Rahman."

Hawa Bhaban was the office of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the then prime minister.

The plan was also worked out at the government residence of then BNP deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, also an accused in the cases.

After being treated at home and abroad, Suranjit, as an MP, placed a condemnation motion in parliament against the attack, but the then members of the four-party ruling alliance opposed it.

Suranjit said the then prime minister, Khaleda Zia, neither visited the victims nor expressed sympathy, adding that it proved that the attack was sponsored by the then government.

The on-duty law enforcement agencies around the rally were busy saving the attackers and letting them flee, while firing teargas on the victims, said the witness.   

Suranjit was later cross-examined by the lawyers of 19 fugitive accused including Tarique. BNP leader Lutfozzaman Babar and 23 others are now in jail and another eight are on bail. Earlier, 202 prosecution witnesses, out of 491, including the complainant, testified in court.