Cops helped perps flee scene

On-duty police and different law enforcement agencies helped the perpetrators flee the scene after a grenade attack was launched on an Awami League rally on August 21, 2004, former home minister Shahara Khatun told a Dhaka court yesterday.

The AL leader said soon after the attack, on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital, police fired bullets, teargas shells, and charged batons on AL leaders and activists in the rally whereas they were supposed to pick up the attackers.

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A victim of the attack, she testified as a witness.

The assault was aimed at assassinating AL chief and then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina. Although Hasina narrowly escaped death, 24 leaders and workers of her party were killed, including top leader Ivy Rahman, and 300 others injured.

Shahara said, "I also came to know from different newspapers and AL leaders that the conspiracy and the plan to carry out the grenade attack on the rally was worked out at the 'Hawa Bhaban' in presence of BNP leader Tarique Rahman."

Hawa Bhaban was the office of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the then prime minister.

Shahara said, "On the very day of the grenade attack, leaders of the then four-party alliance government hurriedly destroyed two live grenades, which had been recovered from the place of occurrence, even though the grenades were very essential evidence." 

Following the incident, Shahara took treatment from different hospitals and clinics and later went to Motijheel Police Station to file a case but police did not take it, she said, adding that she filed a petition case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM's) Court of Dhaka on September 18, 2004.

Shahara was cross-examined by the lawyers of 18 accused, including Tarique.

She will also be cross-examined today by the lawyers of the rest of the 52 accused who are standing trial in the two cases filed over the grenade attack.