"We thanked the armed forces for imposing the state of emergency...Now they should shut down newspapers that are practising yellow journalism," Hawlader said at a press briefing at the party's Banani office.

An investigative report by Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman published on January 15 said the Awami League gave Ershad Tk 3.5 crore to get him in the grand alliance.

According to the report, the BNP also gave Ershad Tk 2 crore to get him in its alliance, but Ershad had to give back the money as he did not join the four-party alliance.

"They [Prothom Alo] have different objectives behind their reports against political parties and politicians," Hawlader said, adding that the daily wants to do "something different but they should clear their objective to the nation".

"I request the armed forces to shut a newspaper like this," he said.

JP leader Kazi Zafar Ahmed also described the Prothom Alo report as "false" and "baseless", saying it was an ill motivated report targeting the JP.

JP Presidium member Ziauddin Bablu said the Prothom Alo did not even publish the rejoinder they sent protesting the report.