They also called on all to launch a tough anti-government agitation unitedly to safeguard the countrymen from such heinous attacks.

They were speaking at a rally at Muktangon in the city protesting the killing of former finance minister SAMS Kibria in the grenade attack and the price spiral of diesel, kerosene, gas, fertiliser and other essentials.

The leaders said the Jamaat-Shibir cadres, protected by the government, are virtually running the country and killing one free-thinker after another without any resistance.

The bomb attacks on rallies and functions of different political and cultural organisations continued unabated as the government has turned a blind eye to earlier attacks, they said.

Kibria is the latest victim of a conspiracy hatched by a group protected by the government, said Ruhin Hossain Prince, convenor of the front.

Bimal Biswas of the Workers Party, Muzahidul Islam Selim of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Dilip Barua of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal also spoke.