Pegging the government as 'absolute failure to run the country', she said: "Indeed, there is no existence of government in the country. There is no rule of law. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has to depend on religious extremists to curb law and order."

Hasina, also president of the Awami League (AL), was addressing the newly elected chairmen of Moheshpur and Gobindaganj pourasavas and their supporters at the party's Dhanmondi office.

She alleged that the prime minister has been ruling the country aided by extremist groups and criminals, and she (Khaleda Zia) has let loose the criminals against common people.

Pointing to the emergence of Islamist outfit Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) in the northwest to exterminate outlaws, Hasina once again raised the question, "Why police and other law enforcement agencies use the taxpayers' money when a private force takes the law into its own hands?"

She asked: "Why the people will pay tax to the government if it fails to provide minimum security to them and hire private force in the name of eliminating outlaws?"

"What has happened to our armed forces and the RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) formed at a cost of TK 1000 crore of public exchequer?", she posed the question adding, "Are these agencies only to harass the opposition people?"

On recent police announcement of TK 50,000 bounty on Bangla Bhai's head, Hasina expressed doubt over it and said: "It's nothing but a farce when police provide shelter to the dreaded operation commander of the religious fundamentalist group".

Illustrating what she termed the free-fall of law and order, Hasina mentioned the assassination of prominent AL lawmaker Ahsanullah Master in Tongi and bomb attack on British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet.

"Apart from the common people, this government has absolutely failed to provide security to lawmaker and foreign envoy. They have no right to cling to power anymore and now it's time to force the ruling alliance to step down unitedly", she added.

Hasina said: "Now it's clear that religious extremists are involved in the bomb attack on British envoy and these extremist groups have been getting patronisation of ruling coalition partners".

Shafiqul Islam Chanchal, chairman of Moheshpur pourasava under Jhenidah district, and Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of Gobindaganj pourasava under Rangpur district, also spoke on the occasion.