Condemning the incidents in separate statements yesterday, they demanded that the authorities take immediate steps to identify the culprits and hand down exemplary punishment to them for stopping recurrence of such incidents in future.

Expressing deep concern, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat yesterday said that they feel insecure as the Islamist militants has left messages that they would carry out attacks on the Ahmadiyyas.

Meanwhile, the NGO activists urged the government to address the militant issue seriously to put an end to militancy for good.

BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia has said that no subversive activities in the name of peaceful religion Islam can be acceptable to the people and religion.

Expressing concern in a statement yesterday, she confirmed BNP's stand against terrorism and called upon the countrymen to resist the anti-people activities. Khaleda Zia also asked for fitting punishment for the people responsible for the blasts.

In a statement yesterday, Awami League (AL) chief and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina said that the bombs were blasted by the evil forces who are against independence, democracy, communal harmony and development.

Condemning the incident, she also noted that the blasts are not separate incidents, rather these prove that those who want to make Bangladesh a save haven of terrorists are still active.

The extremist forces have been continuing their activities against the advancement of non-communal, democratic and progressive forces, president and general secretary of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) Manzurul Ahsan Khan and Mujahidul Islam Selim in a joint statement said.

The incidents prove that the root of the terrorists is in very deep, they said adding that only hanging the culprits is not enough, their political base is needed to be demolished.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President Hasanul Haque Inu and General Secretary Syed Zafar Sajjad described the incidents as dreadful and heinous as the bombs were blasted to kill innocent people.

They demanded eradication of armed terrorists from the country by accelerating the current drive against terrorism.

Expressing concern over the serial bomb blasts, Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Motiur Rahman Nizami and Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid in a joint statement said that Islam does not approve any sort of terrorism and they (terrorists) do not have any relation with Islam.

In a joint statement, Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR) Secretary General advocate Sigma Huda, Executive Director Elina Khan and all executive committee members, demanded ensuring security of the NGO workers and punishment to the people responsible for the bomb blasts.

REACTION OF AHMADIYYA JAMAAT
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat yesterday said that their lives and security are under major threat following the simultaneous bomb blasts on Tuesday morning in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet rail stations.

Meanwhile, although the security has been beefed up in all Ahmadiyya complexes following the incident, it was not considered adequate.

"Such activities in the name of Islam cannot be acceptable," Abdul Awal, Ameer of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Bangladesh, said.

"Members of Ahmadiyya community are scared after the bomb blasts by the Islamist militant group," Mohammad Shamsur Rahman, Ameer of the Khulna unit of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, said.

"We were also in fear in the past about our life and security, but this time we are more concerned as the militant group has sent clear messages that they will attack us," an Ahmadiyya leader told The Daily Star.

Ahmadiyya Jamaat also urged the caretaker government to take tough actions against the Islamist militants and destroy their breeding ground.

About the security personnel deployed in different Ahmadiyya complexes, an Ahmadiyya Jamaat leader said, "This is not enough as members of our community live in different places in the city and district."

Many of them are service holders in government, semi government and financial institutions and also involved in business, he added.

REACTION OF THE NGOS
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) Executive Director Sultana Kamal said that the blasts on Tuesday prove that the militant activities are not over in the country with the recent hangings of the top militant leaders.

"Now the government should take this incident seriously and take proper steps to put an end to militant activities for good," Sultana Kamal, also a former adviser to the caretaker government, said.

She also suggested that the government consults with the experts on how to address this issue.

In her reaction, Khushi Kabir, executive director of Nijera Kori, a social organisation, said that the government should show zero tolerance to the fundamentalists and militants.

She also urged the government to ban religious based politics to tackle the crisis.

"Government should find out how we all can work together to address this issue," Khusi Kabir added.