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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Grenades kill 4 at Dhaka rally |
| 2004-08-21 |
| Several grenades exploded near former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina as she concluded a speech at an opposition party rally Saturday, killing at least four people and wounding hundreds, police and eye witnesses said. An official with the Awami League party, led by Hasina, said the former prime minister was the target of the attack. Hasina was slightly injured, witnesses said. Video showed Hasina standing on the low stage, closely surrounded by party officials and journalists on the stage with hundreds of supporters crowded nearby. The first grenade exploded just in front of the stage near where TV cameras were set up to record the rally. As the crowd stampeded down streets away from the initial blast, other explosions were heard. Police said at least six grenades detonated and one was found unexploded. The rally was being held on a street near the Awami League's Dhaka headquarters. Witnesses reported seeing many people being taken to hospitals. "People were covered with blood, many injured were crying for help," Mohamamd Yasin, a rickshaw driver near the scene of the blasts, told The Associated Press. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #1 Update: At least 10 people were killed and more than 300 were injured, including senior opposition members, private TV station ATN Bangla reported. The death toll could increase as some of the injured were in critical condition, hospital doctors said. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-08-21 12:50:29 PM |