At a meeting organised by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), the leaders of different chambers, associations and trade bodies decided to meet with the prime minister and opposition leader very soon to persuade them to sit in dialogues to find ways to end bomb terrorism.

"For the sake of national existence and the country's economic development, we strongly urge all political parties to sit in dialogues unconditionally and find out ways to stop the bomb attacks," said Mir Nasir Hossain, president of the apex trade body.

Terming the bomb terrorism a national problem, he said the very dimension of the situation has now changed and the sign is very ominous.

President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sayeeful Islam said those who are conducting the attacks in the name of Islam cannot be true Muslims, for Islam does not approve of any criminal activities.

"The political parties should bring out a joint statement that they are against this type of religious militancy," he said.

Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury, vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, expressed anxiety over the authorities' failure to identify those who are conducting such attacks.

"If the situation continues, our export will fall drastically," he said, suggesting the government to craft an anti-terrorist law to prevent all types of terrorism.

Kamran Tanvir Rahman, president of Bangladesh Jute Mills Association, also blamed the intelligence agencies for failing to net the culprits engaged in religious militancy.

MA Awal, chairman of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, said the country is now facing a big challenge of whether or not it can stop the bomb attacks and "without a nationwide unity it is not possible to stop such terrorism."

He feared that the recent attacks will create a negative impact on the foreign buyers at a time when Bangladesh is making rapid growth as the only Asian country in textile and clothing exports in the post-MFA era. "We may not survive in the open market competition," Awal said.

AK Azad, president of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, said the political parties, trade bodies and the civil society will have to unite and find out the ways to stop this suicide bomb terrorism.

FBCCI Director Abu Motaleb said if the suicide bomb blasts are not checked immediately, Bangladesh will turn into a place like Afghanistan or Iraq in the near future.

Habibur Rahman, senior vice-president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Towhidur Rahman, vice-president of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association, SM Shafiuzzaman, president of Bangladesh Aushadh Shilpa Samity, FBCCI First Vice-President Mohammad Ali, Vice-President Dewan Sultan Ahmed, and directors Abul Kashem Ahmed, Helal Uddin, Delwar Hossain, Gias Uddin Chowdhury and Harun Ur Rashid also spoke at the function.