Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the efforts to arrest the absconding accused in the August 21 grenade attack are continuing.

He said that 15 convicts including Tarek Rahman alias Tarek Zia are absconding. Interpol red notice has been issued against absconding accused Maulana Tajuddin, Md Harish Chowdhury and Ratul Ahmed Babu alias Ratul Babu.

The Prime Minister gave this information in response to a written question by Begum Farida Yasmin, Member of Parliament of the Government Party in the budget session of the National Parliament on Wednesday (June 12). Speaker Shirin Sharmin presided over the parliament.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in Parliament that on August 21, 2004, a grenade attack was carried out in a planned attack by the anti-independence BNP-Jamaat coalition at the Awami League public meeting on Bangabandhu Avenue. In this incident, a case was filed at Motijheel Police Station under Section 324/326/307/302/34 of the Penal Code and Section 3/4 of the Explosives Act 1908, which No. 97 dated 22/8/2004 AD.

The Prime Minister said that after the lengthy investigation of the case, 2 charge sheets were filed against a total of 52 accused. Out of the 52 accused in the charge sheet, 3 accused were hanged in other cases before the verdict was announced.

The learned Judge of Speedy Trial Tribunal No-01, Dhaka announced the judgment on 10 October 2018. The trial resulted in 49 convictions, of which 19 were sentenced to death, 19 to life imprisonment and 11 to various terms of imprisonment. Out of the 49 accused, 34 have been arrested.