Govt out to save August 17 culprits, says Tofail

The prime minister's speech in the Jatiya Sangsad proves this, the AL Presidium member told a public meeting at Khaer Para Shaheed Salam High School field in Ghatail on Tuesday.

"The coalition government is trying to save Jamaat-e-Islami cadres who were behind the explosions ", Tofail said.

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The meeting was organised by Anehola union AL. With local AL unit president Mohiuddin Mahal in the chair, the meeting was also addressed by, among others, AL organising secretary Saber Hossen Chowdhury and its central leadrer Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Tangail district AL President Shamsur Rahman Khan Shajahan, secretary Fazlur Rahman Faruque, S Akber and Azmol Hossen.

Tofail alleged that the government is harboring criminals instead of bringing them to book. It is using law enforcers for its political gains instead of curbing crimes.

The former minister also expressed concern that the August 17 serial bombings this year, last year's grenade attack on Awami League rally in Dhaka and such other blasts earlier have tarnished the image of the country.

These incidents have branded Bangladesh as a country of religious extremists and foreign investors are shying away, he said. A US diplomat recently expressed skepticism about smooth holding of the next parliamentary polls, Tofail said.

These are ominous signs for the country and the government is solely responsible for this, he said.