They blamed the Jamaat-e-Islami, a key partner in the ruling four-party alliance, for arrest of four Ahab leaders including its chief Asadullah Al Galib.

This has been done to hide Jamaat's politics based on fundamentalism and acts of violence in the name of religion, they alleged.

Ahab leaders also threatened the ruling BNP-Jamaat alliance 'to teach a good lesson' in next general election if the alleged repression on Ahab is not stopped.

"Election victory of the two major parties (BNP-Jamat) in many constituencies including those in Satkhira district depends on our support. We will teach them a lesson if our leaders are not freed and repression is not stopped," Ahab's Acting Ameer Dr Muslehuddin Ahmed said at the rally.

"We read in news papers presence of Bangla Bhai but police are not arresting him. Police can easily nab him if houses of some ministers are searched," he said.

Ahab central Advisor Prof Nazrul Islam chaired the rally, also addressed by Prof Rafiqul Islam, Principal Azizur Rahman, Abdul Wadood, Jahangir Alam, Abdul Mannan, Fazlur Rahman and Altaf Hossain.

Ahab leaders said Jamat-Shibir are gaining ground under the shelter of BNP. They (Jamaat-Shibir) will soon eat up BNP, the speakers said.