Speaking at a city BNP rally at Muktangan protesting yesterday's bomb attacks on the court premises in Chittagong and Gazipur, Bhuiyan sought the opposition's assistance to face and exterminate the militants. He requested them not to politicise the issue to benefit from it.

Many BNP speakers at the rally accused the Awami League (AL) and its leader Sheikh Hasina for supporting the militants and their violent activities.

The rally declared more protest rallies across the country today.

The opposition seems more intent on putting the four-party alliance government into trouble than trying to help it face the situation and they are trying to divide the people and giving programmes to create anarchy, Bhuiyan said.

Criticising tomorrow's hartal call by the lawyers' association, he asked the lawyers to cooperate with the government and law enforcement agencies to catch the perpetrators.

Environment Minister Tariqul Islam termed the attackers, who are bombing and killing people in the name of establishing Allah's rule, the enemies of the country and its people. "We will have to find out where these militants are hiding in," he said, appealing everybody to unite in this regard.

City BNP President and Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeq Hossain Khoka, who presided over the meeting, said a certain quarter in the form of militants is creating turmoil in the country. "There is no question of compromising with them," he said.

Fazlur Rahman Patol, state minister for sports and youth, accused the AL of creating unrest in the country and said Sheikh Hasina wants to come to power by any means.

Identifying the leader of the opposition a supporter of the militants, State Minister for Labour and Employment Amanullah Aman said, "She is committing sedition. The government will have to take action against her."

Law Minister Moudud Ahmed, City BNP Secretary General Abdus Salam, Commerce ministry Adviser Barkatullah Bhulu, city unit leader Chowdhury Alam, Fazlul Haq Milon MP, Jasas Organsing Secretary Mosharraf Ahmed Thakur, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal General Secretary Shafiul Bari Babu spoke at the rally among others.

Agriculture Minister MK Anwar, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Prof Rezaul Karim, State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Major (retd) Quamrul Islam, and BNP leaders Mafiqul Hasan Tripti, Sirajul Islam Selim, Kazi Abul Bashar and others were present at the rally.

After the rally, a procession paraded from Muktangan to the BNP central office at Naya Paltan.