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ShareDhaka: The grenade attack on prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2004 was a conspiracy to kill her using banned Harkatul Jihad (HuJI) which was hatched by opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders at the office of party chief Khaleda Zia's son, according to a media report here today.
The Daily Star in an investigative report said the "chilling conspiracy" to kill Hasina was hatched at Hawa Bhaban, the office of Zia's elder son Tarique Rahman.
"On August 14, 2004 nine people sat at Hawa Bhaban to discuss a recommendation coming from a series of meetings in the past where Hasina's Awami League was branded as the arch enemy for the country and Islam, and it was recommended that she must die.
"(The then junior home minister) Litfuzzaman Babar, deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, prime minister's political secretary Harris Chowdhury, a fugitive killer of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a top Jamaat-e-Islami leader, two HuJI founders and a leader of Al Markajul Islami found no reason to disagree," it said.
On August 15, the same group sat again at the same venue to fix the way to accomplish the mission when the "fugitive killer suggested Hasina be attacked at her home, on road or at a rally".
"They settled for a rally, just six days away...Now it was time they chose weapons. 'Grenades are no problem,' said Babar," the report claimed.
Hasina narrowly escaped with injuries in the attack at a party rally in Dhaka but 24 people were killed crippled nearly 400 others in the assault.
The Daily Star said the report was based on a "highly privileged document" it obtained and information collected by a reporter from investigators and intelligence officials.
Today's report comes three months after a court ordered a fresh probe into the grenade attack.
After the attack, Babar had declared a Taka 1-crore reward for disclosing the names of the people or groups responsible saying that "the government has decided to announce the reward since it gives highest priority to the matter".
An investigation was earlier conducted under the direct supervision of Babar, and 20 people including a vagabond, a student and an Awami League activist were arrested but none of them were found guilty in the subsequent investigations.
The report came as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday sought to remand Babar, already behind bars for the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on Hasina, in custody for 10 days under a court order for interrogation.
"We have got vital information and evidence regarding his involvement in the August 21 grenade attack following the confessional statements of some other suspects," CID superintendent Abdul Kahhar Akand told newsmen yesterday.
Babar is currently serving 17 years of imprisonment for possessing weapons illegally.
