Deepanwita Martin
In a shocking confession made during a video interview, Mufti Hannan, the Chief of Harkat Ul Jihad Bangladesh (HUJ), a banned terrorist organization responsible for multiple attacks, revealed how the BNP-Jamaat government commissioned him and his group to eliminate Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the Awami League, in the 21st August 2004 grenade attack. The confession sheds light on the behind-the-scenes collaboration between the terrorist group and key figures within the BNP-led government at the time.
Hannan’s detailed statement, given in the video interview, outlines how he was involved in the plot and the critical meetings that led to the deadly attack.
Mufti Hannan’s Statement and interview:
“I got involved with the 21st August plot on 18th. Ahsanullah Kajol was the Organizing Secretary of Harkat Ul Jihad. Maulana Sheikh Farid, the General Secretary of Harkat Ul Jihad, invited me to a meeting on the 18th. At that time, I used to live in Ananda Nagar, Merul Badda. So, I came to the meeting place at the office, Harkat Ul Jihad office, at Mohammadpur Bus Stand, at Darul Arka Madrassah. Sheikh Farid, Maulana Abdus Salam, Ahsanullah Kajol, and our commander Jahangir Badar Jandal were present.
There were discussions about two meetings that took place in Hawa Bhaban. Altogether three meetings had taken place. A lot of things were discussed at Hawa Bhaban. Tarique Zia, Ali Ahsan Mojaheed, Haris Chowdhury, Abdus Salam Pintu were present in that meeting. From Harkat Ul Jihad, Ameer Abbus Salam, Sheikh Farid, and Nayebe Ameer of Al Markadul Islam, Mufti Abdur Rashid were also present.
They discussed a lot of things in the presence of Tarique Zia. Principally, they discussed how Sheikh Hasina was causing a lot of trouble. She was causing disorder and tarnishing the image of the country. We have to do something about her. Ali Ahsan Mojaheed agreed and added, ‘She is also working against Islam. And something must be done against her.’ The then Home State Minister Lutfozzaman Babor also agreed and asked what exact steps need to be taken. Tarique Zia replied, ‘Either she has to be faced politically, or she has to be bid farewell permanently. As in, she must be eliminated.’
He then signaled to Major Nur, the convicted murderer of Bangabandhu, to say something. Nur said: ‘Of course, you could face her politically. But I am not a person of politics. I know that to face her, you could take one of three steps. First, you could attack her house. Or you could attack her on her way to and from somewhere. Or she has to be attacked and killed during a meeting. But you must remember not to cause damage to the people. You should think of eliminating her without causing as less collateral damage as possible.’
At that point, State Minister Babor said: ‘I have grenades… You can think whether you want to use them for this purpose or not.’ Major Nur then said: ‘In that case, the attack cannot be on the street. It should preferably be at a meeting.’ Tarique Zia then said they should not end the discussion there and called another follow-up meeting for the next day. The conversation carried over to the next day’s meeting, where a decision was reached that grenades were a better choice than using guns. But guns would also be there as an insurance. They also decided that the coming 21st August would be a good day for the job, as the Awami League had already sought permission for having a rally either at Muktangon or in front of their party office at Bangabandhu Avenue. Either would be a good venue for the task.
They agreed that the arrangements were satisfactory, and they had everything they needed for the job. They also said that the government people, intelligence people would be there to help us. They decided to call another meeting to finalize all the details. The third meeting took place at the residence of State Minister Babor on Mintu Road. Except Tarique Zia, everyone from the previous meetings was present there. Including Babor himself, Haris Chowdhury, Abdus Salam Pintu. I, along with Abdus Salam, Sheikh Farid, Abdur Rashid, were also there.
On the second meeting, I was told that we have an internal Harkat Ul Jihad meeting on the 18th. In that meeting, I was there along with Ameer Abdus Salam, Secretary Sheikh Farid, Chief Commander Jahangir Badar Jandal, and Ahsanullah Kajol. We all went together to the house of Abdus Salam Pintu (BNP’s Deputy Minister for Education). There we saw Pintu’s younger brother Tajuddin and his relative Maulana Abu Taher. After waiting for a while, two black Pajero cars arrived. From one of the cars, Home State Minister Babor and another man came out. From the other car, three other men came out. After they had a meeting inside for a while, we sat with them and got introduced.
After conversing for a while, State Minister Babor said: ‘As I mentioned yesterday about the grenades, I have brought them with us.’ The grenades were inside two cloth bags, which themselves were inside a dark green bag. The small bags had five grenades each. We took them and kept them on the tables. Two of the grenades were open, only wrapped in paper. They were wrapped in tape, which could be seen through. With the loose two, a total of twelve grenades were handed over.”
Mufti Hannan’s Confession Reveals High-Level Conspiracy in 21st August Attack:
In a damning confession, executed militant leader Mufti Abdul Hannan detailed the intricate planning and execution of the 21st August 2004 grenade attack on a rally of Sheikh Hasina, the then-Leader of the Opposition and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. His statement implicated high-ranking officials from the BNP, including Tarique Rahman (son of then-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia), as key conspirators in the deadly plot.
Mufti Hannan, who was a leader of the banned terrorist organization Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI), revealed a chilling collaboration between political figures and terrorist networks. He described how the attack was meticulously planned to assassinate Sheikh Hasina and disrupt the Awami League’s leadership, thereby shifting the balance of political power.
According to Hannan’s confession, explosives and logistical support were secured with the tacit approval and involvement of influential BNP leaders. The grenade attack, which killed 24 people and injured over 300, was a manifestation of the terrifying extent to which political motives were intertwined with extremist violence.
Hannan’s testimony shed light on the strategic nature of the conspiracy, highlighting how the perpetrators aimed to dismantle opposition leadership and instill fear among political adversaries. The attack marked a dark chapter in Bangladesh’s political history, with its aftermath leaving lasting scars on the nation’s democratic fabric.
This revelation has reignited calls for accountability and justice, as it underscores the urgent need to address the dangerous nexus between politics and extremism to ensure such tragedies are not repeated