'Country faces second big crisis after liberation war'

They said there is no concept of militants and suicide bombers in Islam.

The discussion on 'National security: Role of the politicians' was organised by Bangladesh Policy Forum at the Cirdap auditorium in the city.

Former advisor to the caretaker government Major General (Retd) Moinul Hossain Chowdhury said the country's security is threatened due to increasing gap between the rich and the poor.

If the disparity is not reduced suicide bombings will not be stopped, he said, adding that the politicians have a responsibility to cut disparity.

Moinul Hossain said the situation has become unstable because politicians are doing politics for power and not for the welfare of people.

The people also can check militancy by changing the government through voting in national election, he added.

Abul Hasan Chowdhury, former state minister for foreign affairs, said the country is now facing second big crisis after the liberation war in 1971.

He said the nation has to be united and act together to find out the roots of militancy and ways to check the menace.

Identifying the age-old education system as the source of militancy, he called for introducing modern educational system at the school level.

Editor of the Naya Diganta Alamgir Mohiuddin said there is no suicide bomber in the country, rather some persons are hiring those poor people for bomb blasts to fulfil their ill motives.

Shah Abdul Hannan, former secretary, criticised the political parties who blamed Jamaat-e Islami, its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir and madrasas for militancy during dialogue with the government.

There is no room for militancy in Islam, he said, adding that only a government has the authority to call for jihad.

Abdul Hannan said there is no offence in desiring the "Rule of Allah."

Kazi Azizul Haque, international affairs secretary of Khelafat Andolon, said madrasa teachers and students are not communal, rather secular politicians with English medium background are communal.

City University teacher Sheikh Towfiq and Joint Co-ordinator of Hizb ut-Tahrir Kazi Morshedul Haque also spoke at the discussion.