Sheikh Hasina condemns 2004 Dhaka grenade attack on anniversary

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has characterized the 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka as one of the country’s “most brutal and shameful” historical chapters. Marking the 22nd anniversary of the assault at Bangabandhu Avenue, Hasina noted that the attack killed 24 party leaders and activists, including Ivy Rahman, the then-president of the Bangladesh Mahila Awami League and wife of former President Zillur Rahman. Hundreds of others were injured, many sustaining permanent disabilities.

Hasina, who was the opposition leader during the incident and suffered hearing injuries in the blast, alleged that the militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) carried out the attack at the behest of the then-BNP-Jamaat coalition government. She stated the assault was intended to undermine democratic politics and promote a trajectory of confrontation in Bangladesh.

In her statement, Hasina urged the younger generation to study the nation's history objectively, referencing past political violence and military rule. She expressed the Awami League's commitment to building a secular and modern Bangladesh, while accusing certain political forces of targeting the party through violence and legal actions.