DHAKA, July 19: The government of Bangladesh reacted sharply on Sunday to what it called a "baseless" news report, datelined Guwahati, India, claiming that 25 Indian insurgents , while at a meeting in Dhaka, were killed when gunmen attacked them on Saturday night.

The AP report was published in the USA Today and broadcast by the NDTV of India on July 17 and 18. Besides, the news item was released by different news agencies and carried by Internet editions of several newspapers.

The Guwahati office of the AP, quoting the police chief of the Indian state of Tripura, said: "A group of Indian insurgents were apparently holding a meeting at a hotel in Dhaka's Segun Bagicha area when gunmen attacked and killed up to 25 of them.

"Srivastava (police chief) claims most of the killed were members of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), which has been fighting for an independent homeland for indigenous population of Assam, the largest of India's seven northern states. Rebels from four other Indian insurgent groups were present at the meeting in Dhaka, the police chief said."