Aug 21 grenade attack case proceedings at final stage: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today told Parliament that the trial proceedings of the August 21 grenade attack case are now at the final stage with 225 witnesses finishing their depositions.

"The proceedings of the August 21 grenade attack case of 2004 are now at the final stage of the verdict; meaning the argument stage," she said replying to a tabled starred question from Awami League MP Nasima Ferdushe (reserved seat-13).

The placing of arguments by the prosecution has already been completed and the defence arguments for 18 out of 52 accused were completed till January 24 last, the Prime Minister said.

The date for delivering the verdict will be fixed on completion of the arguments for the remaining accused, she said.

 Noting that the grenade attack on August 21, 2004 is an unprecedented grisly, cruel attack in world history, she described it as the outcome of a conspiracy hatched by the then ruling party to annihilate the then opposition party with state patronage.

Sheikh Hasina said 24 Awami League leaders and activists, including Mahila Awami League leader Ivy Rahman, were killed in the attack. "Hundreds of leaders and activists still bear the horror memories of the attack."

In reply to another starred question from ruling party MP Golam Dastagir Gazi Bir Protik (Narayanganj-1), the Prime Minister said nearly 52 lakh Bangladeshi workers went abroad in the last nine years of the Awami League government.

"A total of 5,198,914 workers went abroad in the last nine years (2009-2017) following our sincere efforts," she said adding that Bangladesh sent 1,008,525 workers to different countries in 2017.

Responding to a starred question from Jatiya Party MP Md Nurul Islam Omar (Bogra-6), Hasina said the gas production has now increased to 2,750 million cubic feet (mcf) from only 1,744 mcf in 2009 due to multifaceted steps taken during the tenures of the present government.

She said the demand for gas is growing fast due to the economic growth and improvement in people's lifestyle.

Answering to a starred question from treasury bench MP M Abdul Latif (Chittagong), the Prime Minister placed a list of international degrees and awards received as recognition of her and her governments' achievements for the improvement in socio-economic status of the people of Bangladesh.

A total of 14 degrees and 31 awards were received since the 1996-2001 tenure of her government as per the list.

Nine degrees were received during AL's 1996-2001 tenure, while three during the 2009-2013 tenure and the remaining two in 2004 and 2005.

Of the awards, 11 were received during her government in 1996-2001 period while six during the 2009-2013 regime, 13 during the current regime of 2014-2018 and the remaining one in 2006.

In 2017, two awards were received which are Third India Today Cleanliness (Safagiri) award for Best Asian Government Cleanliness Initiative and ICT Leadership Award given to State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak by the World HR Congress.