The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has criticized the opposition for trying to reap political gains out of Wednesday's serial bomb blasts across the country.

More than 400 bombs rocked the capital Dhaka and 63 of the totaling 64 district headquarters in synchronized timing last Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 150 others.

The criticism came at an emergency joint meeting of the BNP and its front organizations held Thursday.

Emerging out of the meeting, BNP Secretary General and Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan told reporters that "a vested quarter is sacrificing national interests to gain politically."

He said the serial bomb blasts across the country were part of deep conspiracy against the country aimed at destroying democracy and development process.

He also called on the opposition to withdraw its decision to observe the nationwide destructive strike Saturday and show their cooperation to apprehend the bombers.

A Home Ministry press-note issued after the incident said the pre-planned explosions were designed to create panic among people and instability in the country.

Witnesses said at most sites of explosion, leaflets under the letterhead of an outlawed organization called Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh had been found. The leaflets called for the implementation of Islamic law in the country.

Leader of the opposition in Parliament and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina Thursday demanded international probe into the serial bombings.

Sheikh Hasina said the intelligence forces and police totally failed to perform their duties, so a proper investigation into Wednesday's blasts and previous blasts is impossible by these people.

Speaking at a press conference here Thursday, Sheikh Hasina claimed that the people lost confidence in this government that failed to ensure their security and thus the alliance government has no moral right to remain in power.

Meanwhile, leaders of the 14-party opposition alliance headed by Awami League urged the government to quit power due to its failure to protect people from the terrorist attacks.

Addressing a rally in the capital, they also demanded an early national election after reforming the system of caretaker government and the Election Commission.

The members of the law enforcing agencies are trying to identify the prime suspects involved in Wednesday's bomb explosions across the country though they have nabbed more than 100 persons until Thursday. Many of the detainees, allegedly belonging to the banned Jamaatul Mujahideen.

Seurity measures have been taken in some important and sensitive areas in the capital including the diplomatic zones and airport to avoid further untoward incidents.

Bangladesh Rifles personnel have been put on high alert along the frontiers and at border check posts to ensure that no criminal could slip out of the country.

Nearly 150 people have been reportedly killed and about 1,000 others injured in major bomb blasts and other kind of attacks in Bangladesh since 1999.

On Aug. 21, 2004, a grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the capital left 23 people dead and hundreds of others injured. Awami League President Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped the attack.

The last major grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Habiganj on Jan. 27 this year left four people dead, including senior Awami League leader and former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria.

Source: Xinhua