Referring to the August 21 grenade attack, Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta told a Dhaka court yesterday that such a government-sponsored armed attacked on unarmed people never occurred in Bangladesh in the past.

Giving his statement before Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 for an hour as a prosecution witness, he said the AL rally, which came under attack in 2004, was organised in protest of attacks and killings across the country.

The sight of the aftermath was unbearable, added the surviving witness, also an adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Judge Shahed Nuruddin fixed today for the next hearing of the two cases, one filed over the killing and another under the explosive substances act.

The attack killed 24 leaders and workers, including Ivy Rahman, and injured 300 others. Awami League President and the then opposition leader Hasina narrowly escaped death.

Nineteen accused, including Tarique, are absconding while 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, have given their statements before the makeshift court near Dhaka Central Jail.