Opposition leader Sheikh Hasina yesterday demanded an international inquiry into the huge cache of illegal arms and ammunition seized in Chittagong on Friday and suspected the links of ruling BNP to the smuggling of sophisticated arms into Bangladesh.

"Police and coastguards seized the huge arms cache and I have heard that a cargo vessel belonging to an advisor to the prime minister carried those arms," she told a public meeting at Baufal in Patuakhali in the morning.

"Any of the key men involved

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with the smuggling is yet to be nabbed. There is every possibility of involvement of the ruling party with the arms smuggling... We will not allow the arms seizure in Chittagong to go uninvestigated this time and demand an international inquiry into the incident," Hasina added.

Referring to State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar's visit to Chittagong Dampara police line to see the seized arms, she said Babar looked pale and choked during media interviews after the arms haul. She added that Babar's name was associated with illegal activities, even during the past BNP regime.

Hasina, also the main opposition Awami League (AL) president, addressed wayside gatherings and public meetings in Baufal, Dasmina, Galachipa, Dumki and Kuakata of Patuakhali district and Amtali of Barguna district on the second day of her five-day tour of the five districts of Barisal division.

Referring to the retrieval of huge ammunition in Bogra in June last year, the opposition leader said she had made a similar demand for international inquiry into that incident to trace the origin and destination of the arms and hunt down the culprits involved.

"But the prime minister didn't say anything about my suggestion fearful that her son and the state minister for home affairs might be caught...," Hasina told the rally.

Turning to other issues, AL chief said salaries of police and government officials have not been increased, but those of MPs and ministers have already been raised in phases on the ground of price spiral of essential commodities. Besides, Vat and other taxes were increased and new ones imposed on the businessmen and common people.

She said Jamaat-e-Islami came to power through negotiations with the BNP and now its ameer runs the Ministry of Industries that is

issuing licence for producing alcoholic drinks. Besides, women and children repression has increased in the organisations under the Ministry of Social Welfare, which is also being run by the secretary general of Jamaat, she alleged.

The prices of kerosene have gone up from Tk 17 to Tk 25 a litre and rice from Tk 13 to Tk 17 a kg and people no more want to see this government in office beyond April 30, Hasina said referring to the deadline the AL has set for pulling down the four-party alliance government.

"The alliance government is trying its best to wipe out Awami League through oppression and conspiracies. But no-one would be able to hold us back from the one point of demand of overthrowing this autocratic BNP-led alliance government," she warned.