The grenade attacks on the public meeting of the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina and Awami League leaders in Dhaka on 21st August in 2004 is considered as the most barbaric and brutal after the killing of the Father of the Nation Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and almost all of the members of his family on 15th August, 1975. The anti-Liberation War evil force and enemies to the family of Bangbandhu conducted the 21st August grenade attack that killed 24 and injured scores of leaders and activists of Awami League there. The main target of the attackers was to kill Sheikh Hasina, and it was only by dint of the blessings of the almighty Creator that Sheikh Hasina was saved.
It is now proved that the then BNP-Jamaat led government’s influential persons were behind the attack and they had strong instruction to all the hospital authorities of Dhaka city not to give treatment or admit any of the injured persons. But braving all odds, and at the direct instruction of Zainul Haque Sikder, only the Zainul Haque Sikder Women’s Medical College and Hospital took the responsibility of their treatment. The lion-hearted Sikder arranged for all medical facilities free of cost.
The then administration and police created pressure on the hospital authorities for not providing treatment to those injured leaders of Awami League. Heroic Freedom Fighter undaunted Zainul Haque Sikder grew angry on the police officer at this and ask him to take responsibility of the patients’ lives in black and white. At the dauntlessness of Mr Sikder the police receded.
The then government agents not only disturbed in the way of medical treatment of the grenade attack victims, they also tried to locate the funding of the cost of such expensive treatments. Kind hearted Mr Sikder unknowingly deposited money in the hospital accounts of the patients in order to avoid chaos.
Three or four days after that tragic event, Zainul Haque Sikder visited the residence of Sheikh Hasina to call on her personally. On seeing him Sheikh Hasina burst into tears and talked to him in a choked voice. She cordially acknowledged her indebtedness to him at all odds and bad times.