Bangladesh to hang 19 for rally attack

A Bangladeshi court sentenced 19 people to death and the son of the opposition leader to life imprisonment yesterday over a deadly 2004 attack at a political rally held by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The grenade attack killed two dozen people and wounded about 300 others. Ms Hasina narrowly escaped, having been whisked away by party members to a waiting car from in front of the headquarters of her Awami League party near where several grenades exploded.

Judge Shahed Nuruddin said the attack was intended to eliminate the Awami League’s leadership.