Sayed Kawsar Hussain Siddiki on Tuesday claimed himself as the general of Al Hiqma in a news release sent to the press club and different newspaper offices inviting reporters to the conference.

The outfit's motto was marked on the press release that read "a traditional republican political party of the world since 1996."

Siddiki, self-proclaimed commander of the country's only banned Islamist outfit, was bailed on July 14 in a sedition case. He was absconding since receiving bail in a fraud case filed in August 2002 and later surrendered to the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.

The court granted bail as no-one on behalf of the state opposed the petition in absence of the court sub-inspector.

There are allegations that Dubai-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim funds Al Hiqma. On February 8, 2002, the outfit held a press conference and revealed its plan to go for armed struggle in a bid to turn the country into an Islamic state.

The home ministry banned the organisation the next day in the wake of countrywide criticism.

On receiving the ministry's clearance, Sub-inspector Shamsuddin of Detective Branch (DB) of police filed the sedition case with Boalia Police Station against Siddiki and eight others on March 20, 2003.

The other accused are Shamim Uddin, Rahmat Ali Sarkar, Nizam Uddin, Azhar Ali Mridha, Abdus Subhan, Rabiul Islam, Abdul Hannan and Mojibur Rahman.

Police last year picked up five Al Hiqma cadres and seized firearms, constitution of the organisation, declaration papers and other documents conveying their subversive motives.

They were remanded and quizzed at a joint interrogation cell in Dhaka but released as the High Court granted them bail.