In another development, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan termed the Awami League (AL) demand for a UN- and Commonwealth-run probe 'unrealistic and impossible'.

US Ambassador in Dhaka Harry K Thomas renewed the offer during his meeting with Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan at the latter's Secretariat office yesterday.

Mannan, also the secretary general of ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told reporters after the meeting that they discussed, among other issues, the August 21 blasts. Thomas told him that the US government is always ready to aid Bangladesh in probing the grenade blasts.

Mannan informed the US ambassador that the Interpol has already begun investigation into the incident in parallel with the police and other intelligence agencies.

"If the Interpol makes suggestion that we should seek further assistance from any other body, we will act on that and in that case we may seek US assistance as well," the LGRD minister told the ambassador.

He assured the ambassador that the government would ensure a neutral investigation and exemplary punishment to those responsible for the bomb attacks. He sought cooperation from all quarters including the main opposition AL in carrying out a proper investigation.

Mannan apprised the ambassador of the prime minister's move to meet the leader of the opposition. He said the government sincerely wants to hold a constructive dialogue with the AL to contain the violent crimes and reach a consensus on other issues of national interest.

The US ambassador however declined to make any comment to the waiting newsmen.

British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury yesterday meanwhile called on Information Minister M Shamsul Islam and discussed issues in which the August 21 grenade blasts featured prominently. The minister briefed the high commissioner on the government steps taken after the bomb incident.

UNREALISTIC, IMPOSSIBLE
Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan yesterday said a probe under the United Nations (UN) and Commonwealth is unrealistic and impossible since they do not have their own probe bodies.

Asked if a joint probe by the US, Britain, India, Pakistan, and Australia is on the cards after their offers to help in the investigation, Morshed said, "They are only a couple of countries, but an Interpol investigation covers probe assistance from 181 of its member states."

"At this stage we do not want bilateral assistance, if we did we would have asked for it by now," he said when asked about Indian External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh's offer to assist Dhaka in the probe.

'INDIA STANDS READY'
Singh in a letter dated August 27 to Morshed said the Indian government 'stands ready to assist' the Bangladesh government in ensuring enquiry into any that may be required."

He expressed profound shock on behalf of Indian government and people and condemned the grenade attack on AL rally.

Singh offered to work together with Dhaka to eliminate the scourge of terrorism. The Indian foreign minister also expressed his hope that the Bangladesh government would bring the perpetrators to justice and avoid recurrence of such attacks.

EX-FOREIGN SECYS MEET
Seven former foreign secretaries met again at the state guesthouse Padma yesterday following a meeting with the prime minister on Saturday to discuss Bangladesh's international image and how to best tackle foreign relations in the aftermath of the August 21 grenade attacks.