Bangladesh observes anniversary of deadly grenade blasts

DHAKA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh on Monday observed the 19th anniversary of the August 2004 grenade attacks at incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's rally that killed at least 24 people.

The day began with Prime Minister Hasina, also president of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party, paying tributes to the victims of the Aug. 21 grenade attacks by placing wreaths at a monument in the capital Dhaka.

Addressing a discussion later in the day, Hasina stressed the need for expediting the implementation of the trial court's verdict of the Aug. 21 grenade attack case.

A Bangladesh court in October 2018 sentenced 19 people to death, including two former ministers, over the case of grenade attacks.

Another 19 people, including Tarique Rahman, the exiled acting chairman of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The sentence also included jail terms for 11 others.

Twenty-four people, including Ivy Rahman, the women affairs secretary of Awami League and wife of former President Mohammad Zillur Rahman, were killed in the grenade attacks.

Hundreds of people including Hasina were wounded.

AL, which rose to power with a landslide election victory in early 2009 and won its third term in 2018, now eyes for the fourth consecutive victory in the national elections slated for early next year.

AL is facing challenges from the BNP, which is demanding Hasina's resignation and free and fair elections under a non-party caretaker government.