DHAKA, 22 December 2005 — The prime minister of terrorist-hit Bangladesh yesterday pledged to root out extremism and called the perpetrators of recent bomb attacks as terrorists.

Addressing an anti-terrorism rally of her Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) supporters in Dhaka Khaleda Zia said, “They are misguided. They are enemies of Islam, democracy and the nation.” “We will crush them.”

Authorities deployed more than 6,000 security forces for the rally — organized by the ruling BNP — which attracted tens of thousands of people.Bangladesh has been shaken by a string of bombings blamed on banned Islamic group Jamatul Mujahedeen, which wants to replace the Muslim-majority Bangladesh’s secular laws with Shariah rule.

In a separate development, Bangladesh’s law minister said yesterday the government is planning a new anti-terrorism law.

“The existing laws are not enough to deal with this type of violence. We need a new anti-terrorism law,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed said in an interview with private TV station ATN Bangla.

Ahmed said the legislation would boost the maximum sentence from 10 years in prison to death for those convicted of involvement in terrorist acts. Special tribunals would be set up for speedy trials, he said.

“What we are planning is a comprehensive law to tackle terrorism,” Ahmed said. He said the legislation would cover everyone from those who “encourage, motivate, provide training and money to those who are involved in the terrorist acts.” Ahmed said his ministry already has drafted a bill, which is likely to be placed for a vote in Parliament when it convenes a new session next month. It is expected to pass easily because Khaleda’s four-party coalition holds more than two thirds of the chamber’s 345 seats.

Khaleda, meanwhile, rejected opposition’s demand to step down and call early elections.

Opposition parties, led by the Awami League, blames Khaleda’s coalition government for failing to curb religious militancy. The government denies the charge.

At least 22 people have been killed and scores injured in bombings across the country since the end of November. Authorities have arrested hundreds of militant suspects, including several high-ranking operatives, and seized caches of bomb materials.