Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday demanded the highest punishment to the perpetrators of 21 August grenade attack on a rally of Awami League in the capital city in 2004, reports BSS. “The attackers of 21 August will have to be awarded the highest exemplary punishment and the terrorists of BNP-Jamaat be brought to book for killing general people mercilessly in 2013, 2014 and 2015 so that nobody dares to perpetrate such killings on the soil of Bengal,” he said.

Shajahan was addressing a press conference organised by Sramik-Karmachari-Peshajibi-Muktijoddha Samannay Parishad and Antorjatik Juddhoporadh Gana Bichar Andolan at Swadhinata Hall in the capital Segunbagicha area, said a press release. August 21 in 2004 is a day of brutal killing in the political history of Bangladesh, the minister said, adding the attack aimed at making the Awami League leader-less by killing the party leaders, including the party chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader in parliament.

The BNP-Jamaat-led government played a role in public to save the people involved in the attack, Shajahan said, adding that there are also allegations against them of destroying all evidences of the attack. Former chairman of Bangladesh Muktijuddha Sangsad Major General Helal Morshed Khan, freedom fighter Ismat Kadir Gama and labour leaders Md Shahabuddin and Mukhlesur Rahman were present in the conference, among others.