August Grenade Attack - The Day | The Daily Star

On August 21, 2004, a heinous grenade attack was launched on a rally of the then opposition Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka in a bid to annihilate the party’s leadership, an unprecedented incident that changed the course of politics in Bangladesh.

What happened on that day

In the broad daylight of August 21, 2004, Islamist militants launched a heinous grenade attack on a rally of the then opposition Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka.


The attack was carried out according to a meticulously designed plan hatched by some high ranking persons of the then BNP-led government who allegedly conspired to annihilate their political rivals, including their prime target AL President Sheikh Hasina.


The plot failed as Sheikh Hasina survived the attack narrowly because some of her party leaders protected her by forming a human shield around her. However, 24 people were killed, including AL Women Affairs Secretary Ivy Rahman, and over 400 were injured in the grisly attack.

Read Details.

1

The Awami League rally protesting the recent Sylhet blasts with a call 'to end the rule of the government that inspires bomb attacks’ begins at in front of the party office at Bangabandhu Avenue.

3:00pm

2

Awami League President and the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina reaches the makeshift stage on truck.

5:00pm

3

Hasina starts addressing the rally that drew around 25,000 leaders and activists.

5:02pm

4

Hasina ends her speech and when a grenade blasted two yards from the dais and what followed was a grenade rain.

5:22pm

5

A total of 13 explosions ripped through the rally premises within a spell of one to one and half minutes.

5:22pm-5:24pm

6

Hasina was huddled into her bulletproof sports utility vehicle (SUV), as her security personnel fired blank to clear the way, and wheeled her away through thick smokes under police escort.

5:25pm

7

A number of vehicles were set on fire. Coagulated blood, human entrails, blood-smeared party-flags, banners and torn sandals were seen.

5:54pm

8

A number of vehicles were set on fire. Coagulated blood, human entrails, blood-smeared party-flags, banners and torn sandals were seen.

5:54pm

9

Angry protesters torched and threw stones to vehicles chanting slogans against the attackers. Thick black smoke soon mushroomed from about 20 burnt vehicles in Bijoynagar, Purana Paltan Crossing, Dainik Bangla Intersection, Zero Point, Bangabandhu Avenue, Golap Shah Majar, General Post Office and Gulistan areas. Police fired scores of teargas canisters and charged baton to bring the situation under control. Sheikh Hasina reaches Sudha Sadan.

6:00pm

10

Following the first series of grenade blasts at 5:22pm, yet another grenade went off at 6:27pm amid the rescue operations and police presence in the alleyway opposite the AL office.

6:27pm

11

Paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (now BGB) were deployed in Dhaka city.

7:15pm
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