The jail authorities yesterday received a copy of the president's rejection of the militants' mercy petitions and as per the jail code the execution will take place between 21st and 28th days from the date of receipt of the president's decision.

Inspector General of Police Noor Mohammad told The Daily Star last night that they are apprehending sporadic attacks by the militants as the day for the militants' execution nears.

Since the president's rejection of the militant convicts' mercy petition on March 5, police, Rab and intelligence agencies have taken adequate measures to prevent any attempted retaliation by the militants' followers, he added.

Meanwhile, the jail authorities have beefed up security in and Around the jails where the militants are confined to avert any untoward incident that may erupt following the latest decision on the condemned.

The six JMB militants were convicted for killing two judges in Jhalakathi in a suicide bomb attack in November 2005.

"We have received the copy of the president's rejection of the six militants' mercy petitions today [Thursday] afternoon," Inspector General (Prisons) Brig Gen Zakir Hasan told The Daily Star yesterday evening.

"We are yet to decide the date of execution," he said.

"As per the rules the six militants will be executed anytime not before 21 days and not after 28 days and the countdown will start from the date of receipt of the president's decision on the militants' petition for clemency. Thus the execution date will fall between April 13 and 19," said Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddique.

The exact date, time and place for the execution of the militants are yet to be fixed, he said, adding, "We will remain busy up to March 26 and then we will decide when, where and how the execution will be carried out."

The executions are usually carried out at one minute past zero hour on the night of 27th day, sources said, adding that it is done on the last day to allow the condemned live as along as the law permits.

The convicts are usually executed in the prisons they are kept, the sources added.

Asked whether they will let the condemned militants know about the rejection order, Haider said usually they do not let them know the order.

The condemned militants are JMB chief Abdur Rahman, the militant outfit's operations commander Bangla Bhai, JMB Majlish-e-Shura (highest policy-making body) members Ataur Rahman Sunny, Abdul Awal and Khaled Saifullah, and suicide bomber Iftekhar al Mamun. Another convict, Asadul Islam alias Arif, has been absconding.

Of the six condemned members of the fanatic Islamist militant group, Rahman and Bangla Bhai are now in Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur, Sunny and Awal in Dhaka Central Jail while Mamun is in Rangpur jail.

In the wake of a series of bombings by the JMB militants across the country, senior assistant judges Jagannath Pandey and Sohel Ahmed were killed in a suicide bomb attack at Purba Chadkati in Jhalakathi town on November 14, 2005.

Additional District and Sessions Judge of Jhalakathi Reza Tarik Ahmed sentenced the seven JMB men to death by hanging and acquitted one on May 29 last year.

The High Court upheld the trial court's judgment on August 31 and the Supreme Court turned down the six imprisoned convicts' appeals on November 28 last year.

The prison authorities received the copy of SC's rejection order on January 21 and primarily they fixed February 17 for the militants' execution. The date was cancelled following the militants' submission of mercy petition to the president at the end of January.

Asked about the security, DIG Haider said they will ensure 100 per cent checking of the visitors who will rush to the jails to meet their confined relatives on the occasion of the Independence Day.

"We will also discuss the security issue with the police and Rab members deployed around the jails," he said.