Dhaka, Dec. 15 -- National Citizen Party (NCP) chief Nahid Islam has launched a scathing attack on Bangladesh's intelligence agencies in the wake of the shooting of Inqilab Moncho Convenor Sharif Osman bin Hadi.

Speaking on Monday, Nahid said the agencies were once ruthlessly efficient at silencing critics but are now unable to catch killers or prevent them from fleeing the country.

"For 16 years, our intelligence was used to suppress all opposition," he said. "They were so experienced they could carry out abductions and killings with precision. But since Aug 5, their skills seem to have vanished.

"They can no longer make arrests. They allow killers to cross Bangladesh's borders. Even after 72 hours, they fail to capture the perpetrato...