Bangladesh adopts tough law to curb terrorism

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh's army-backed interim government has approved a new counter-terrorism law, laying down a maximum penalty of death for anyone involved in terrorist activities, a senior official said on Monday.

The council of advisers (cabinet) chaired by government head Fakhruddin Ahmed approved an ordinance on Sunday that also provides for "speedy trial of terrorists by special courts", with jail sentences ranging from three to 20 years.

The previous elected government of now-detained former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia drafted anti-terrorist legislation after a surge in terrorist activities in this south Asian country earlier this decade, but Khaleda's five-year term expired in late 2006 before the measures could be finalised.

Fakhruddin's administration, whose principal task is to stage a free and credible election by next December, has now introduced its own law.

In August 2004, a deadly grenade attack by suspected Islamic militants on a Dhaka rally killed 23 officials and 150 workers of the opposition Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina, another former prime minister.

Hasina escaped with her life but suffered hearing impairment from the blasts.

A year later, outlawed Islamist groups launched a series of bomb attacks across the country, killing dozens of people including lawyers, judges, police and officials.

Six top Islamist militants were hanged in early 2006, and for a time their followers were seriously weakened. Police now fear they may regroup and try to launch fresh attacks.

The ordinance defined an "act of terrorism" as