"With the arrest of Bangla Bhai, our statements about the militancy and fanaticism in the country proved correct. But the government so long denied it while a minister called it a creation of media," he told the news agency.

Saber, Political Secretary to Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina, said the government will have to explain why Bangla Bhai was released after his arrest on August 15, 2002.

Bangla Bhai was arrested for attempting to kill Awami League leader Tarapada Poddar at Mollahat in Bagerhat, but 'mysteriously' released after 17 days.

"f he was not released so many innocent people would not have lost their lives in his hand," the AL leader said, asking the government to explain why actions were not taken against the rise of militancy and extremism.

Saber, an accused in the Mymensingh cinema hall blasts case, said after the Netrakona blasts, the LGRD minister and the state minister for home affairs had announced that the militancy problem would be resolved within two months, and subsequently no blasts took place during this period.

"How could they declare a precise timeframe for halting the militant bombings and arresting the kingpins?" he said, adding: "Why the government chose this particular time to arrest the JMB leaders?"

Saber said the investigators must dig out the links of the militant leaders with the government and the administration, and Jamaat chief Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami should be quizzed for his statement that Bangla Bhai was a creation of media.