"The BNP-Jamaat-led coalition has filed false cases against many of our leaders and activists in order to kill them in the name of 'crossfire'," Hasina said yesterday at a ceremony where a group of Jatiya Party leaders and workers from Rajshahi, led by former minister Sarder Amjad Hossain, joined the AL.

Former BNP lawmaker and former chairman of the Parjatan Corporation SA Reza Hossain also joined the AL at the same programme held at the AL's Dhanmondi office.

The AL chief alleged that the Rab killed Sumon, a Jubo League leader of the city's Khilgaon area, in the name of "crossfire", adding that these extra-judicial killings by the Rab and police have tainted the image of the country abroad.

Referring to the prevailing unrest on the Dhaka University campus, Hasina blasted BNP's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) for attacking the general students and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) adding that the JCD wants to control the educational institutions across the country through muscle power.

"Chhatra Dal did not let the general students bring the dead body of Happy [who had died in a road accident Saturday] and attacked the agitating students," the AL chief said adding that even the female students came under the JCD attack.

Rejecting the finance minister's claim of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, Hasina asked, "How can the GDP growth occur while this government has failed to see success in even a single sector?"

Criticising the fuel price hike, she said the life of common people has become difficult as prices of essentials are increasing day by day.

The AL chief urged the people to be united to unseat the BNP-led coalition government.

Senior AL leaders Abdur Razzak, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and AL Joint Secretary Obaidul Quader also attended the meeting.