The major Islamic partner of the coalition government blasted the main opposition Awami League (AL) for what it said hatching conspiracy to split the ruling alliance through bomb blasts and other terror acts across the country.

The Jamaat leaders vowed to keep the four-party coalition intact and go for the next general election unitedly.

Addressing the Paltan Maidan rally, a major show of strength in Jamaat politics, they called upon the people in general and members of the civil society in particular to remain alert against any 'external conspiracy' against Bangladesh as well as Islam. Conspirators might want to create a pretext for foreign aggression through terrorism and anarchy in the country, they cautioned.

The Jamaat leaders also pointed fingers at a neighbouring country for its involvement in recent bomb blasts and other terrorist activities in the country.

The recent series of suicide bombings in the name of Islam is part of a conspiracy of the AL to break the ruling coalition and tarnish the image of the Islamic parties including Jamaat, they alleged.

Denying any links with the banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), the Jamaat leaders said JMB is a creation of the AL as General Secretary of Awami Jubo League Mirza Azam is a close relation of the JMB chief.

Jamaat believes in democracy and always tried to uphold it. The party never provoked or supported subversive and terrorist activities, its leaders claimed.

They also criticised a spiritual leader who recently termed Jamaat a non-Islamic party.

"The recent surge of Islamist militancy in the country is part of a strategy to create division between Islamic and nationalist forces," Matiur Rahman Nizami, ameer of Jamaat and minister for industries, told the rally.

The AL started conspiring as it could not go to power in the 2001general election due to coalition between nationalists and Islamic forces, he said.

It wanted to destroy democratic politics in the country and make the country a failed state, he alleged.

He pointed out that the government has acted timely and nabbed many militant leaders with huge arms and ammunition.

The Jamaat chief claimed AL central leader Amir Hossain Amu had offered him ministership and a number of women's seats in parliament to forge coalition before the general election in 1991. But the AL could not go to power because Jamaat turned down the offer.

The AL went to power in 1996 only because of a misunderstanding between Islamic and nationalists forces, he noted.

Nizami urged the people to help continue politics of production, development, investment and stability that started since the four-party alliance came to power.

Islam never supported bombing or terrorism. It takes time to establish Islamic rule in a country, he added.

The rally was also addressed by Jamaat Secretary General and Minister for Social Welfare Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Naeb -e- Ameer Moqbul Ahmed, party lawmakers Delwar Hossain Saidee, Abdus Sobhan, Shah Mohammad Ruhul Quddus and Mian Golam Parwar, Mohammad Quamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah, A T M Azharul Islam, Tasneem Alam and some district unit leaders

The huge gathering at the rally spilled over to nearby thoroughfares, lanes and by lanes and open spaces. Although the main rally started at 2:00pm, Jamaat activists and supporters started gathering at the rally venue since the morning.

By noon, the entire area was heavily crowded, and Islami songs were rendered from the dais to entertain the audience.

In his speech, Ali Ahsan said, "Militancy originated across the border to make the our country a subservient state. Its main objective is to break the ruling coalition and tarnish the image of Islam".

Islamic scholars never provoked militancy or bomb attacks, he added.

Saidee said the AL forged coalition with left parties as it does have any base among the people.

Moqbul Ahmed said the renaissance of Islam could not be resisted through writings in a few newspapers.

Quamaruzzaman claimed that a number of senior AL leaders including Amir Hossain Amu and Mohammad Nasim held meetings with Jammat leaders on several occasions in the past.

The opposition parties have already understood that they would face a debacle also in the next general election if the four- party coalition remains intact, he said.

Islamic parties would succeed if democracy succeeds in the country, he thought.