Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the Gulshan terror attack was carried by a vested quarter which is aimed at tainting Bangladesh's image.

The Gulshan attack has undoubtedly harmed Bangladesh's image although terrorism and militancy have now emerged as a common global challenge, she said in a press conference at her Gono Bhaban residence.

The issue of terrorism and militancy in the aftermath of recent terror attacks in Bangladesh and other countries came up dominantly in the press conference arranged to inform the media about the participation of the PM in ASEM11 Summit in Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on July 15-16.

The PM said militancy and terrorism is not a concern for any single country. The whole world is reeling from a dreadful situation and a global consensus has already taken shape against terrorists and militants.

She, however, said local and foreign groups which could not accept Bangladesh's development amidst global economic slowdown might have a hand in the Gulshan attack.

Hasina said a national consensus has been created among the people of the country against terrorism and extremist violence, except those who have links with militancy and terrorism and have records of war crime and burning people alive.

"But unity of the common people which is truly required for eliminating terrorists, has already been forged and this unity will continue," she said.

Denying the notion that international media exaggerated the terror news of Bangladesh, the prime minister rather blamed it on the local media, saying international media is not so curious like local ones in broadcasting live the incidents.

"They broadcast an incident carefully avoiding its horrific side. But our media don't care about it and they even disclose and bring in live telecast of the preparation of the law enforcing agencies against the criminals," she said.

The world media always use local media as its source, she said, adding that during Gulshan terror attack international media, including CNN, have rallied the news and pictures of Bangladeshi television channels. "So whom we will blame?" she asked.

Hasina said her government is giving importance on sharing intelligence information with foreign countries to identify the people who are behind motivating the sons of well-off families to be radicalised as well as their financier, arms suppliers and trainers.