By Moazzam Hussain BBC correspondent in Dhaka

Hundreds of militant Islamists in Bangladesh have taken part in protests against a controversial play they say hurts Muslim religious sentiments.

I feel that my freedom of expression is under threat from these extremist groups

Mamunur Rashid, playwright

The play, written by a Hindu playwright, tells the story of a young girl trafficked to India for prostitution.

Muslim leaders are objecting to a sequence of the stage show where a man plays the role of Prophet Mohammad.

But the playwright, Sambit Saha, said there was no such scene in his original manuscript.

The play - Kotha Krishnakoli or Story of Krishnakoli - was first staged in the capital Dhaka several months ago when nobody objected.

Playwright arrested

But in Faridpur, a town nearly 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Dhaka, a stage production of the play drew angry protests from militant Islamic groups.

A torrent of abuse sent Taslima Nasreen into exile

Hundreds of protesters took part in a demonstration in Faridpur on Wednesday demanding that the playwright and the production team be punished.

In the face of continuous protest, police have arrested Sambit Saha and five other people involved with the play's production.

Hard-line Muslim leaders also called upon the government to frame a blasphemy law in parliament so nobody dares to insult any religion.

Fazlul Huq Amini, a parliament member from the ruling coalition, said the play was part of a conspiracy to destroy religious harmony in Bangladesh and destabilise the government.

Freedom 'threatened'

This is not the first instance of militant Islamist threats to cultural and literary freedoms.

The author Taslima Nasreen was virtually hounded into exile by hard-line Muslim groups threatening her on similar grounds.

Leading Bangladeshi playwrights and actors have complained that extremist leaders are trying to make political capital out of the issue by fuelling a campaign against the country's religious minorities.

"Militant Islamic groups are now targeting anybody who was involved with any theatre group in Faridpur," said the playwright Mamunur Rashid.

"They are also trying to instigate communal hatred which is totally unacceptable.

"As a playwright I feel that my freedom of expression is under threat from these extremist groups," Mr Rashid said.