She accused the ruling party leadership of systematically eliminating AL district level leaders and potential election candidates with a view to winning the next elections.

The opposition leader was addressing a largely attended condolence meeting for the slain Khulna city AL President Monzurul Imam at Shahid Hadis Park yesterday morning.

Imam was killed in a spray of bullets and bomb blasts by assailants in Khulna city on Monday.

Paying rich tributes to Imam, the AL chief said he was a 'political saint'. His murder will not go unchallenged since he was a dedicated politician and a pious man who had spent his life in austerity.

Hasina recalled his qualities both as a politician and a lawyer.

She warned the government not to frame her party men in false cases to protect the killers of Imam.

The AL chief said 24,000 murders have been committed across the country in the last 22 months and cases against 53,000 workers and leaders of the BNP and criminals withdrawn.

But, the execution of the verdict against the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is being delayed 'with an ill motive'. Rather, Khaleda Zia is rewarding the killers by offering lucrative jobs both home and abroad, the AL chief said.

She thought the countrywide Operation Clean Heart and the Operation Spider Web in the south-western region were directed against leaders of the AL and its front organisations, and not against criminals.

"While in power, of course we failed to achieve 100 per cent success in this regard. But there was no lack of sincerity to curb crimes," Hasina said.

Referring to the role of law enforcers, the opposition leader blamed police for giving protection to criminals sheltered by the BNP-Jamaat alliance. "You will have to pay heavily for this crime," she warned.

Presided over by city AL vice-president Yunus Ali, the condolence meeting was also addressed by, among others, former agriculture minister Motia Chowdhury, presidium member Abdul Mannan, former state minister Talukdar Abdul Khaleque and former lawmaker Mannujan Sufian.Earlier, soon after arriving in Khulna from Tungipara, Hasina went to the residence of the slain AL leader. She saw his body, consoled his bereaved wife, sons and daughters and prayed for salvation of the departed soul. She also pledged to the family members that Imam's spirit of sacrifice will be upheld in politics.