Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Moulana Obaidul Haque placed the demand on behalf of the alems at a seminar styled "Islam versus Militancy" organised by the Masjid Council for Community Advancement at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, who also addressed the seminar, agreed that the government does not believe that all madrasas are the hotbeds of militants. "The police will seek permission from the madrasa principals before any raid in the future," he said.

Moulana Akramuzzaman, director of Kuwait-based NGO Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS) and believed to be a patron of militants in the country, also addressed the seminar.

Babar urged the opposition to sit in a dialogue with the government to discuss how to tackle the problem of militancy.

"Let us sit together putting aside all our differences and get united against the bomb terrorism," he said.

The Baitul Mukarram Khatib said Islam does not allow militancy and bombing. Militancy has now become a national problem and it can be resolved only through national unity.

He asked all imams of the country to deliver their sermons against terrorism and militancy and bring out processions in their areas after the Juma prayers next Friday as part of a campaign against terrorism in the name of Islam.

Obaidul Haque also urged the government to organise a dialogue with all madrasa principals within a week to discuss the problem of militancy.

If the madrasa education needs any reform, the government should discuss it openly, he said, adding, "Wholesale harassment of madrasa students and teachers is creating resentment against the government."

Moulana Kamaluddin Jafri, principal of Jamia Kashemia Madrasa of Narsingdi, said the government's response to militancy came too late.

"Those who have trained these militants are half-educated. There might also be Jewish involvement in these attacks," he said. "Reasons of suicide attacks in Iraq and Palestine are justified but there is no way to justify the suicide attacks in Bangladesh," he added.

Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of the Masjid Council, said the situation at present is worse than any time in the past. "The veil, beard and tupi [prayer cap] are now considered the crisis of the country," he said.

Moulana Akramuzzaman said the real interpretation of the Qur'an and Hadith needs to be reached to the common people.

State Minister for Religious Affairs Mosharraf Hossain Shahjahan, Jatiya Shariah Council Secretary General Mufti Sayeed Ahmed Mojaddedi, and Moulana Abdul Latif of the Ahle Hadith Andolon of Bangladesh also spoke at the seminar.