"If the government wants to capture the real culprits, 'Hawa Bhaban' and 'Khowab Bhaban' will have to be visited," she said addressing the concluding session of a conference of the 'Sufis' at the Engineers' Institute in the capital.

Bangladesh Sufi Majlish organised the programme.

Chaired by Sufi Majlish President Shah Sufi Muhammad Anisul Huq Chisti Al-Hossaini, the session was addressed, among others, by Shah Noor-e-Sureshwari, Shah Sufi Mokhlesur Rahman and Qari Mozammel Haq.

The Awami League president was highly critical of Jamaat-e-Islami, saying that its "main objective is not to spread Islam, but to counter Awami League and earn illegal money."

She accused Jamaat of using Islam for political gains and of damaging the image of Islam "by exploding bombs."

"Those who are against Jamaat-e-Islami are being arrested and harassed, and the real culprits being released… the government itself is trying to protect Jamaat from the blame of the August 17 serial bombings."

She said: "Islam is a religion of peace. It does not support torture on minority and opposition that the government was doing continuously."

The opposition leader questioned the performance of the intelligence agencies and said "it would have been impossible to carry out such serial bomb blasts simultaneously across the country without the government help."

"We've to unite to save the country, Islam and the religious people from the hands of this 'jalem' (oppressor) government," she said.