Dhaka: The nation is observing the 12^th anniversary of the savage 21 August grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka with a heavy heart amid various programmes on Sunday.

Awami League and its associate bodies will observe the day as the Grenade Attack Day with elaborate programmes, including discussions.

Besides, the Awami League-led 14-party alliance and various socio-cultural and professional organisations have taken different programmes to mark the day across the country.

On this day in 2004, the grisly grenade attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally arranged by Awami League at Banbabandhu Avenue here during the BNP-Jamaat alliance rule, reportedly a target to kill then leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina.

At least 24 leaders and activists, including AL’s women affairs secretary and late President Zillur Rahman’s wife Ivy Rahman, were killed and 300 others injured in the grenade attack.

However, Sheikh Hasina fortunately escaped the attack unhurt but her hearing was affected badly.

On the occasion, President of Bangladesh Awami League and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at the makeshift memorial of martyrs of the heinous August 21 grenade attack at Bangabandhu Avenue around 4 pm on Sunday.

The makeshift memorial will be set up in front of the Awami League central office where militants lobbed at least 13 grenades on that day 12 years back.

Hasina will first place a wreath at the memorial as the Prime Minister and then another as the Awami League President.

Leaders and activists of different socio-political, cultural and professional organisations will also place wreaths there paying homage to the victims of the incident.

Later, Sheikh Hasina will also attend a milad and doa mahfil along with leaders and activists of the Awami League-led grand alliance at the same venue, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of those killed in the incident.

She will also talk to victims’ family members and join a discussion there.