Leaders of the major opposition party at a discussion in the city said if they (AL) come to power, they will take appropriate measurers regarding all extra judicial killings under the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government.

The coalition government is involved in 'state terrorism' in the name of 'crossfire', they said at the discussion on 'Law and Order and Terrorism' in connection with the coalition's four years in office, held in the city's Rajuk auditorium.

Jalil said 707 extra judicial killings took place under the alliance government. He attributed the killings to Operation Clean Heart, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), elite forces Chita and Kobra and police. A number of outlaws in the country's southwestern region were also victims of extra judicial killing during operations like 'Clean Heart' and 'Spider Web'.

Law and order in Bangladesh is now being discussed abroad, he said. Different international human rights organisations and some senators and congressmen of the US expressed concern over extra judicial killings by different law enforcement agencies, political killings and the August 17 serial bomb blasts across the county, he mentioned.

Jalil stressed that law and order in Bangladesh should be discussed at the United Nations to save the country.

The AL stalwart said militants have spread across the country during the alliance rule. The prime minister in her recent address to the nation tried to hide her failures in this regard, blaming the administration and intelligence agencies. But the people have understood her tricks, Jalil added.

Former home minister Mohammad Nasim said law and order must be ensured for holding free, fair and impartial elections. If the AL comes to power, those responsible for killings under the alliance government will be brought to justice.

Nasim further said this government has released more than 70,000 listed criminals on political grounds and killed hundreds of 'innocent' people in the name of crossfire. "During the AL rule, no extra judicial killing took place. And we were able to curb crimes in the southwestern region of the country applying laws," he claimed.

Police and Rab know that they will not be punished for any killings, and this leads to 'state terrorism', he added.

AL presidium member Zillur Rahman, who chaired the discussion, demanded immediate resignation of the prime minister for her 'total failure' to run the country.

Law and order has collapsed, and the alliance government has no moral right to cling to power anymore, he said.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Mahbube Alam blamed the coalition government for trying to make the judiciary ineffective, and said its target is to appoint BNP-Jamaat loyalists in the judiciary.

Crimes cannot be curbed if release criminals on political grounds continues, he stressed.

Other speakers included AL leader Sarder Amjad Hossain and Editor of the Sangbad Bazlur Rahman.