The intelligence agencies believe that despite diminished organisational strength, remnants of the militant outfit are capable of sporadic if not spectacular assaults to show they are still alive and kicking.

In view of the assessment, the interim administration plans tight security measures surrounding strategically important locations and structures for the entire month, said sources close to the state apparatus.

Jama'atul Mujahideen staged near-simultaneous blasts in one but all districts on August 17, 2005 to announce their arrival for what they said was to establish Islamic rule in the country. A number of suicide blasts in the court areas in the following weeks, unsettling the then alliance government.

In drives following execution of JMB chief Abdur Rahman, his deputy Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and four other top guns, the law enforcers have rounded up 50 militants including two members of Majlish-e-Shura, the highest decision-making body.

Besides, they have recovered huge arms and explosives including power gel, locally made iron cases, sodium sulphide, potassium sulphate, potassium carbonate, chloroform, measurement scales, glass jar, funnel, dust mask, hand gloves and Bunsen burners.

"Statements of the arrestees and seizure of explosive materials including TNT (Trinitrotoluene) indicate that those who have managed to be at large are preparing for attacks. And that is why we are taking some pre-emptive measures," said a senior police official.

Police have information that a group of JMB leaders have been relentless in their efforts to regenerate the organisation. Besides trying to regroup those who had dispersed in the face of massive police dragnet, they are recruiting new members.

For training and other preparations, they have chosen remote char and haor areas across the northern districts.

Sources in the intelligence agencies said that the chars (shoals) dotting Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Sherpur and Pabna districts have long been used as training camps. The militants consider those safe as it takes hours for the law enforcers to reach there and thus allow them time enough to flee.

"Two years back, we had preparations to forestall militant attacks, yet we failed or you could say they had outfoxed us. Besides, we were a bit relaxed in our watch," said a source in the police department.

He said the intelligence officials calculated that attacks might take place between August 13 and 15, but those came on August 17.

An official of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said, "Though the top JMB leaders have been executed and many are jailed, the ones outside are still a threat to law and order."

Many detained JMB leaders and activists at the grassroots level have disclosed during interrogation that the leaders and suicide squad members of banned outfit had been regrouping.

A suspected military commander, Mostafizur Rahman Shahin, who was arrested on March 20 in Pabna, had claimed that some 5,000 operatives are still active across the country.

Some arrestees in Kishoreganj have come up with similar information during interrogation. They said strategically the haor upazilas like Niklee and Bajitpur are crucial to re-establishing the network in the district that broke down after execution of Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai.

The arrestees also described how they had taken up job at different NGOs on orders from the high command as part of a plot to attack those offices in future.