"The government alone can't handle this situation. We'll have to involve the entire community to find out a solution," the minister said, stressing involvement of cross-section of people, especially the ulema.

Some wayward people, who do not have support from the public or the Islamic scholars, are carrying out the bomb attacks across the country, the minister told reporters at his office yesterday.

"All walks of people will have to be involved to fight these elements," he observed.

"The most important task is to put an end to their motivation as the militants are derailing the common people, taking advantage of their religious sentiment.

"We're focussing on four things: breaking their ideologically, blocking their financial supply, closing their sources of explosives, and apprehending and bringing them to justice."

Village defence party personnel, who once used to inform the officers-in-charge of police stations, should be used as source of information about militants, Babar said.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan have assured him of taking steps in this regard, Babar added.

"Breaking the militants' motivation will not be a difficult task if we can arrest their top level leaders. We've narrowly missed some of the top brass during several recent drives."

The minister said the suicide attacks in Chittagong and Gazipur could cause more carnage if police failed to stop the attackers.

"We must encourage police morally as they are falling prey to militant attacks because of their professional responsibilities.

"The militants are controlling their activities using mobile phones. I've heard Jama'atul Mujahideen chief Abdur Rahman uses 20 to 30 numbers to organise attacks."

The minister however admitted they do not have technological advantage to tap the phone calls.

He expressed the hope that verdict of at least 35 to 40 cases will be made by February.

"VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION"
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdul Quayum yesterday termed the prevailing situation 'very difficult' and asked all to face it with bravery and patience.

"We're trying our best to ensure security to all and have stepped up our operational activities," he told reporters yesterday, urging people not to agitate for better conditions.

The militants are taking new ways to attack and the police are also working out new methods to counter them, he said.

"I've already talked with the police DIGs and commissioners about how to deal with the crisis. I've given them some strategies.

"We know that such incidents may take place at times now. And we also know it well that we'll have to face maximum casualties.

"We're taking steps to ensure least casualties and maximum arrests. We'll accomplish our safeguarding strategy and bring changes to our checking systems."

Asked whether attacks on policemen are demoralising the law enforcers, Quayum said, "We're dedicated to our constitutional and legal duty to protect our own citizens.

We have joined the service knowing everything may happen while on duty. We feel proud to do something for the country."

On whether the police have sufficient equipment to fight the suicide bombers, the IGP said, "You'll not get any equipment to track one carrying a bomb. Such people are active around the world."

"The arrested bombers are half-educated or madrasa students who are operating on blind motivations. But we don't know what is in the minds of their top leaders," he said.

The police boss said investigators have already submitted charge sheets of 75 of the 182 cases and arrested 695 people. As many as 221 of 457 charge-sheeted accused have so far been arrested.

Asked about foreign links, he said no proof has been found in this regard. "We'll know it when the top leaders are arrested."