Grenade Attacks
Hasina reiterates demand for int'l probe
Staff Correspondent
Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina yesterday once again blamed the government for August 21 grenade attacks on AL rally and demanded international investigation into all grenade attacks. "The probes into the August 21 and Habiganj grenade attacks are mere eyewash as the real perpetrators are still behind the scene," Hasina said while speaking to the bereaved family members of those killed in the January 27 grenade attack at Baidyer Bazar of Habiganj district. Khodeja Khatun, widow of late Abu Hossain and their son Abdul Matin, Sohrat Banu, widow of Siddique Ali and their son Mokhlesur Rahman, Aasia Khatun, widow of Abdur Rahman, their daughter Fatema Khatun and son Sohel Ahmed met Hasina, who is also the opposition leader, at her Sudha Sadan residence. "If proper investigations were made into the August 21 and Habiganj grenade attacks, the involvement of the state minister for home affairs and prime minister's advisor would be revealed," she said. Hasina alleged that the government is trying to manage confessional statement from Arman and George Mia in a bid to divert the course of the probe into the August 21 grenade attacks incident. "Who is Arman? He had been involved in smuggling with a state minister," she said. Referring to the recent bomb attacks in London, she said, "Look at the British government and see how sincerely and quickly they responded to the victims of the attacks. Their intelligence agencies are making the best efforts to find out the criminals." The government did not do anything for the victims of the August 21 and Habiganj grenade attacks, she said, adding that the law enforcement agencies, being advised by the government, made way for the attackers' fleeing. Hasina criticised the government for its "failure to control law and order downslide and curb price hike of essentials" and said people are being killed extra-judicially and AL party leaders and activists harassed, attacked and killed across the country. She condemned the "crossfire" incidents by the Rapid Action Battalion. She handed over cheques worth Tk 50,000 to each of the families of the Habiganj grenade attack victims who called on her yesterday. AL leader Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Hasan Mahmud, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam MP and Habiganj district AL leaders were present.
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