Sixteen of the total 38 convicts, including BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, in August 21 grenade attack case are still absconding. Police failed to track down 16 absconding convicts in August 21 grenade attack case.
The attack on the Awami League rally in front of the party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue killed 24 people including party's women wing chief and subsequent Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman's wife Ivy Rahman and wounded some 500 others.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, then the opposition leader, was addressing the rally at that time.
Of the 16 convicts, red notices against four -- militant leader Maulana Md Tajuddin Mia, former political adviser to the prime minister Haris Chowdhury, Ratul Ahmed Babu and owner of Hanif Paribahan transport group Mohammad Hanif -- are still effective.
Former political adviser to the prime minister Haris Chowdhury died however, the law enforcement officials are not yet confirmed.
But officials believe Tajuddin is currently in South Africa or Pakistan, , Kaikobad in the Middle East, Hanif in India or Malaysia, former army officials ATM Amin and Saiful Joarder in the US and Canada, respectively, Ratul in South Africa, and Anisul Mursalin alias Mursalin and Mohibul Muktakin are in India's Tihar Jail.
Khaleda Zia's son Tarique has been living in the UK for a decade. But talks of extraditing him to Bangladesh by the government have yet to yield any result.
The 10 others fugitives- retired Lt Col Saiful Islam Joardar, former director of DGFI retired Maj Gen ATM Amin Ahmed, Md Iqbal, Mohibul Muktakin, Anisul Morsalin, Mohammed Khalil, Maulana Liton alias Delwar Hossain alias Zobayer, Jahangir Alam Badar, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman and Mufti Abdul Hai.
A total of 24 people were killed and many others injured when a series of grenades ripped through the meeting venue of Awami League, then in opposition, on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.
Many of the injured suffered permanent physical deformities as they were maimed. Hasina suffered hearing loss and was under treatment at home and abroad for many years.
The Criminal Investigation Department or CID pressed charges in court on June 11, 2008 during the military-backed caretaker government.
Some 30 others, including Tarique, were added to the list of accused following wider investigations after the Awami League came to power in 2009. A total 52 suspects, including police officers, were implicated in the case.
The number had whittled down to 49 after three other accused, former minister and Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and militant leaders Mufti Abdul Hannan and Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul were hanged after convictions in other cases.
Of the 49, a Dhaka court sentenced 19 to life imprisonment and 11 to different jail terms on October 10, 2018.
