Reports noted the increasingly higher profile of extremist elements with cadres of the outlawed Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF) for instance distributing leaflets threatening the government law enforcement agencies of ''any action anytime1.'' Islamist militants were also making threats against English-language schools in Dhaka2.

Security agencies arrested a founding member of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI-BD), Maulana Sheikh Abdus Salam, from his home in the Bashundhara residential area of Dhaka on March 23. Salam is the ameer (chief) of the Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) who reportedly went to Afghanistan in the early 1980s and returned in 1989. Sources noted that some Afghan war veterans led by Salam launched the HuJI at the Jatiya Press Club on April 30, 19923.

The Chairman of PetroBangla stated that the government was reviewing a proposal by the UK-based Cairn Energy Plc to raise the price of gas sold to state-run oil, gas and mineral corporation Petrobangla. Cairn Energy also sought the rights to sell gas to any firm other than Petrobangla or raise price for its planned exploration works in a number of onshore and offshore fields4.

In other developments, Bangladesh and India renewed the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, first signed in 1972, for two more years. Officials stated that businessmen will be able to transport consumer goods from India by water all the way to Dhaka and Narayanganj by middle of June 2010. Currently, only a small portion of cargo, mainly cement raw materials and crude oil, comes from India by waterways using the Khulna and Sirajganj jetties. India has also been urging that Ashuganj be included as another port of call to boost inland water trade5.

• 1. “Gono Mukti Fouz distributes leaflets threatening law enforcement agencies in Kushtia District,” South Asia Terrorism Portal, March 17, 2009, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news.asp?date1=3/17/2009#14
• 2. “Militants threaten Bangladesh schools,” Reuters UK, March 20, 2009, at http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE52J1BS20090320
• 3. “Top HuJI cadre arrested in Dhaka,” South Asia Terrorism Portal, March 24, 2009, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news.asp?date1=3/24/2009#15
• 4. “Bangladesh examines Cairn proposal to raise gas price”, Reuters UK, March 29, 2009, at http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssEnergyNews/idUKDHA7380420090329
• 5. “India Goods To Reach Dhaka By Water In 2010”, Independent Bangladesh, March 25, 2009, at http://www.independent-bangladesh.com/2009032410755/business/india-goods...