Thursday, July 27 2006 13:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dhaka: The Bangladesh government has sounded an alert ahead of the first anniversary of the multiple blasts that rocked the nation last August even as the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) accused of triggering them face a high court trial next month.

The government has alerted the law enforcement and intelligence network, warning that the banned Islamist outfit might go for further attacks at any place, any time, The Daily Star reported.

The newspaper said reports from its correspondents based in Bangladesh's north and northeastern regions bordering India indicated that the militants were trying to regroup after a downturn in their activities due to arrest of most of their top leaders.

Seven top leaders, including Sheikh Abdur Rahman, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and Ataur Rahman Sunny, are facing the death sentence as an appeal in the case involving the killing of two judges in Jhalakathi town last year is coming up before the high court next month.

The trial of the cases are being speeded up as part of the government's effort to bring the militants to book for acts that have earned Bangladesh much criticism among the donor governments and international agencies.

The Daily Star said the information about the JMB's plans was "a wake up call for the government as it claimed credit on many occasions through statements at home and abroad that it has successfully tackled the militancy menace."

Many other top JMB leaders, 'Ehsars' (who are recruited on full time basis and act at the directives of their superiors), 'Gayeri Ehsars' (part-timers), members of the suicide squads and their district-level leaders are still outside the security dragnet, the newspaper said.