"Many of our party activists were killed by Islamist militants in Rajshahi. I don't think it's possible to kill pro-government leaders and activists unless a part of the government assists or patronises it," the BNP MP from Rajshahi-3 told the BBC Bangla Service yesterday.

On the reason for such involvement, Hena said the militants are carrying out subversive activities aiming at establishing an Islamic state -- a rule of Allah as opposed to man-made laws. "The association [between militants and coalition component] is likely, since some people of such a mindset are in the coalition," he said, in the first-ever criticism of the government by a ruling party MP.

As the BBC asked him how Bangla Bhai could rise in his area without their knowing about it, Hena said, "The government is there. The law enforcement agencies are there. I don't think it's possible for [him] to rise without our knowledge."

Later, when the BBC contacted some top BNP leaders for their comments about Hena's statement that some part of the ruling coalition is behind the rise in militancy, they brushed it aside.