DHAKA, June 29: The US Ambassador in Dhaka, Harry K. Thomas, said on Monday that "fundamentalists" were behind the killing of Khulna Press Club president Humayun Kabir, calling for the arrest of "such extremists" in Bangladesh.

"People of fundamentalist groups have killed Humayun Kabir Balu. Fundamentalists killed journalists; perhaps tomorrow they will kill all people. The police now should arrest fundamentalists," Mr Thomas told newsmen at a meet-the-press programme at Dhakas's National Press Club.

And by fundamentalists, he meant "all extremists, be they from religious, leftist or rightist groups. These people are not good for a civil society". The US envoy, who is known for his frequent and frank comments on Bangladesh's political scene, said in reply to a question that although Bangladesh was no longer a "basket case" (a comment made by former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger) and has achieved a lot since independence, many challenges lie ahead in areas like population control, education and health care.