Dhaka: Bangladesh's main Opposition Awami League party of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on February 10 accused the ruling four-party alliance of being "indifferent" to a terrorist outfit that does not even recognise the independence of the country.

In a statement issued in Dhaka, the acting president and acting general secretary of Awami League charged that the outfit, "Shadat-e-al Hukma" could not have publicly announced its existence recently without the "direct patronage and blessings of the authorities".

Only a few days ago al-Hukma had at a press conference in Northern Rajshahi district formally declared itself as a political party.

"When such an organisation (al-Hukma) which does not believe in the independence of Bangladesh, the inclusion of the country (Bangladesh) as terror risk country (by US) is quite natural," the statement said.

The Opposition accusation comes amid charges by the country's Communist party president Manjurul Hasan, who debunked the government's contention that no ISI or al-Qaida activity was being carried out from Bangladesh.

PTI