August 21 grenade attack incident

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IT is a welcome development that the authorities concerned are now on the final move to complete investigation into the ghastly August 21 incident of grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina's rally. A good number of suspects have been arrested by a special team of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Those who have been taken to custody are the alleged outfits of the Islamic extremists, Harkatul Jihad, and the RAB personnel in their latest countrywide hunt for the suspects thereof have scored success in getting the clue to the dastardly attack in which several valuable lives were lost and many others, critically injured. The RAB action has followed some disclosures made by Harkatul Jihad's chief, Mufti Hannan, and three others during their remand. We hope that the full investigation into the incident will soon be completed, charges will be framed against those who were involved in it and exemplary punishment will be given to them in accordance with the provisions of the law.
It is unfortunate that there has been much foot-dragging on bringing the culprits who were responsible for the grenade attack at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. At least 24 people including the then Women Affairs Secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League, Ivy Rahman, were killed in the attack. The then leader of the opposition, Sheikh Hasina who is the chief of the Awami League had a narrow scape. The then government led by Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was not at all serious about arresting the culprits responsible for that incident. Rather, it tried to distract attention from such culprits and to put the blame on to others in a ridiculous manner. This is the political culture that has been developed in the country to the utter dismay of the ordinary citizens. The main political parties have shown more interest in perpetuation of their narrow partisan rule for serving their perverted self-interest without caring the least for respecting the democratic rights of their opponents and, thus, for promoting the goals of good governance. Extremist forces have also been encouraged, directly or indirectly, by those who wielded power for their self-aggrandisement. The people will now very much like to see an end to such vicious practices in the country's polity in the future.
Hasan Ahmed
Mirpur, Dhaka.