Zia, Khaleda, Tarique all involved in killings: PM

Terming the Zia family a ‘killer family’, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday accused then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman, her cabinet members and BNP-Jamaat alliance of their direct involvement in the August 21 grenade attack in 2004. “While Zia (Ziaur Rahman) was involved in the August 15, 1975 assassination, the then Prime Minister and BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, her son (Tarique Rahman), her cabinet members were directly involved in the August 21, 2004 incident,” she said. Hasina, also President of the ruling Awami League, was addressing a discussion in the afternoon after paying tributes to the martyrs of the August 21 grenade attack at Bangabandhu Avenue. On her arrival at the venue around 5:10 pm, Hasina first placed a wreath showing respect to the martyrs. Then flanked by the party senior leaders, the AL chief placed another wreath there. Later, leaders of the 14-party alliance laid wreaths. A munajat was offered seeking divine blessings for the eternal peace of those who lost their lives during the August 21 grenade attack. A one-minute silence was also observed seeking salvation of the departed souls of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his family members, the four national leaders, martyrs of the Liberation War and those of all the democratic movements, according to a news agency.