Khaleda Zia too responsible for Aug 21 grenade attack: Hasan

Terming the August 21 gruesome grenade attack as one of the heinous crimes in the globe, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said on Saturday the then prime minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia too is responsible for the grenade attack, reports BSS.

"The then prime minister Begum Zia had failed to provide security to the country's main opposition leader and she (Khaleda Zia) can't avoid the responsibility. It happened with her knowledge," he said.

The minister made the comments while addressing a discussion organised by Swadhinata Parishad at the National Press Club in the city, demanding expediting of trial of the August 21 grenade attack case.

In the beginning of the speech, the information minister paid rich tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu and other martyrs of his family who were assassinated brutally on August 15, 1975 and the martyrs of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack.

Hasan said the all responsibilities went to Begum Zia as attempts made to divert the trial of the attack meant she (Khaleda) is also accused in this case.

Khaleda Zia, the then prime minister, is responsible for everything that has been done to divert the trial of this attack case. So it would need to bring her under the trial also, he added.

Reminiscing the August 21 horrible attack and the incidents of obstacles on rescue of the wounded and also treatment, the information minister said the grenade attack was not only a heinous crime in Bangladesh rather in the world. "In the contemporary world, has any incident like the grenade attack on the opposition leader at a party meeting happened?," he questioned.

The information minister said murder is the core matter of BNP. "Ziaur Rahman captured power through the killing of Bangabandhu and murdering hundreds of army soldiers. Begum Zia also followed the same path", said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

He said Shah AMS Kibria, Ahasanullha Master, Mamtaz Uddin and Manzurul Imam were killed in rallies during the BNP regime. Sheikh Helal and Suranjit Sen Gupta were also attacked by them (BNP), he added. The information minister said all attacks were carried out for clinging to power by Khaleda Zia for long and to assassinate Sheikh Hasina. "For this, a Canadian court gave a verdict branding BNP as a party of terrorists. BNP is now an internationally recognised terrorist party. They should seek apology from the nation for their heinous crimes," he added.