The blames were traded at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on home ministry after an unscheduled debate began on the recent remarks of the two top leaders of the ruling and the opposition parties about the militancy.

"How will the investigators carry out impartial probes into the blast incidents when the prime minister herself is publicly blaming the main opposition for patronising militants," AL lawmaker and committee member Mohammad Nasim questioned at the meeting.

"The government is trying to influence the course of the investigations to protect the militants and this is why the military commanders of JMB and Harkat-ul-Jihad are receiving VIP treatment in the police custody," the former home minister alleged.

In reply, ruling BNP lawmaker Moazzem Hossain Alal said it is not the prime minister, rather the leader of the opposition is disrupting the investigation process by her remarks.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has for some time been accusing the AL of instigating the militant activities while Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina alleges that the government has plans to exploit the militancy issue in its favour in the next parliamentary election.

Coming out of the meeting, State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar declined to talk to journalists. But minutes later, he talked to the private television channels.

"I have clarified the government's stance on the investigations and briefed the meeting about the drives undertaken to curb militancy. The committee members have expressed satisfaction over the government initiatives," Babar told the TV channels.

"We are satisfied with the way the government is handling the situation. Still we have urged the government to strengthen the drives against militants,'' Committee Chairman Shajahan Mia told reporters, emerging from the meeting.

OPPOSITION WALK-OUT
The parliamentary body on home affairs sat for the first time in three and half a months yesterday. Mainly the activities of ansars and the coastguard were on the agenda of the meeting.

The AL lawmaker blasted the committee chairman for not placing on the agenda the burning issues like rise of militants. He demanded that the judicial commission report into the August 21 grenade attack and necessary documents on the probe into the killing of former finance minister SAMS Kibria be submitted to the committee soon.

Mohammad Nasim also demanded a discussion on these issues at the next meeting. As the committee chairman declined to meet the demand, the AL lawmaker walked out of the meeting.

About the opposition demand for submission of the judicial commission report into the August 21 grenade attack, the state minister for home said it rests with the commission head whether to make the report public or not.

The committee chairman said as the matter is sub judice, the committee will not ask the home ministry to submit the report at the meeting.