The political leaders think the veteran politician's arrest is linked with his recent statements calling for withdrawal of the ban on indoor politics but most of them declined to make any comment on the record, fearing that it might create difficulties for them.

"Arrest of Abdul Jalil has made us worried as he is working for positive changes in politics as well as for holding a free and fair election. Such arrest of political leaders will not bring positive result in future," Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon told The Daily Star last night.

Hasanul Haque Inu, President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, said, "Abdul Jalil is a front line leader and a fair politician of the country. And so, the authorities should make public the reason of his arrest without any delay."

"We are observing the situation," AL Joint Secretary General Syed Ashraful Islam said.

Meanwhile, BNP leaders refrained from making any comments about the arrest of former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar and former lawmaker MA Hashem.

They are also troubled by the arrest of AL leader Abdul Jalil, as they think BNP leaders of the same level might face similar situation, sources said.

They, however, consider the arrest of Babar, who reportedly got involved with the process of forming a new political party and maintained good relations with the foreign diplomats, as an unexpected incident.

Leaders favouring reform in the party think Babar's arrest will weaken their initiative while several other leaders, who still support party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, have apparently been pleased as they think Babar started betraying with the party after declaration of the state of emergency.