Vice President of Comilla South District Awami League Demonstrations and protest marches were held in Barura, Comilla on Monday against the cowardly grenade attack on Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and the killing of 24 leaders and activists including Awami League leader Ivy Rahman, led by A. Z. M. Shafiuddin (Shamim) on August 21, 2004 in front of the Awami League party office on Bangabandhu Avenue. held
On the eve of the procession A. Z. M. Shafiuddin Shamim said that on August 21, there was a despicable and cowardly terrorist attack in the history of Bangladesh. The attack was state-sponsored and an attempt to eliminate political opponents. Shafiuddin Shamim strongly condemned this barbaric grenade attack and murder and demanded immediate execution of the convicts. He also expressed condolences to the injured on August 21 and sought forgiveness for the souls of those who were martyred, including Awami League leader Ivy Rahman. He also said that today in this month of mourning, we remember with deep respect the great architect of freedom, the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib and all the martyrs of August 15 and at the same time we pray for the forgiveness of their souls.
In the presence of Barura Upazila Awami League, Jubo League, Swachhasebak League and Chhatra League leaders and workers, former member of Comilla South District Awami League and former Mayor of Barura Municipality Md. Bahaduruzzaman, former Joint General Secretary of Barura Upazila Awami League and Chairman of Aganagar Union Parishad Mazharul Islam were present in the protest march. Mithu, former president of Barura Upazila Awami Volunteer League and chairman of Jhlam Union Parishad Nurul Islam Nuru, joint convener of Barura Upazila Women’s Awami League Kamrun Nahar Shikha and former president of Barura Upazila Chhatra League Md. Farhad Hossain and others.
Hundreds of thousands of leaders of the local Awami League and its affiliates from different areas of the upazila gathered in the central Eidgah ground of Barura municipality to join the protest march, and the Eidgah ground turned into a huge crowd. Later, the huge procession circumambulated the various roads of the municipality.
It is to be noted that the Dhaka Metropolitan Awami League organized a rally in front of the Awami League party office on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka on the afternoon of August 21 to protest against the bomb attacks by militants across the country and police torture in Gopalganj in 2004. When the chief guest of the rally, Sheikh Hasina, arrived at the venue at 5 pm, she announced the start of the protest march after a twenty-minute speech on a platform built on top of a truck. Bangabandhu’s daughter kept coming down from the stage. Just then, the grenade attack started targeting the stage. 11 powerful grenades exploded in just one and a half minutes. 12 people were killed on the spot and later 12 more in hospital and more than 500 leaders and workers were injured Sheikh Hasina survived but her ear was seriously injured At that time, the leaders and activists protected him by creating a human shield
Apart from political activities, A. Z. M. Shafiuddin Shamim has been carrying out various programs on national days and at the same time, he has been working in the area for socio-economic and infrastructural development, housing, education-health and poverty alleviation in the continuation of multi-faceted development activities of the government.