Tarique mastermind of August 21 grenade attack: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today described BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman as a mastermind of the much-talked-about August 21 grenade attack.

“Tarique Zia has masterminded the attack from Hawya Bhaban and it is known to all,” Quader came up with the remarks this noon when the Special Trial Tribunal is all set to deliver the verdict tomorrow.

Talking to reporters at the Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka, Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, however said he does not want to make any comments before announcement of the verdict.  

Alongside, the Awami League also expressed his party’s hope of getting justice from the court.

Responding to a query, he said BNP is engaged in hatching a plot to go for the big scale subversive activities ahead of the verdict.

But they would not be able to create the 2014 like situation as the people would thwart their evil efforts, the Awami League leader said.

After a long wait for over 14 years, a speedy trial tribunal is going to deliver its verdict tomorrow in the August 21 grenade attack case on Awami League rally in the capital in 2004.

BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, two former ministers Abdus Salam Pintu and Lutfuzzaman Babar and former top police and intelligence officials of the then BNP-led four-party alliance government are among 49 accused in the cases.

Three other accused -- Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, and militant leaders Mufti Abdul Hannan and Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipu -- were dropped from the cases as they had been executed after convictions in other cases.

Of the accused, Tarique, then prime minister Khaleda Zia's political secretary Abul Harris Chowdhury, former BNP MP Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad and 15 others are on the run.

Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 at Old Dhaka's Nazimuddin Road may start delivering the verdict in the case around 10:00am.