Dhaka - Dhaka has alleged three Indian ships illegally entered Bangladesh's territorial waters to carry out hydrocarbon exploration activities in the Bay of Bengal, media reports said Friday.

Foreign ministry officials said the government protested the Indian intrusion into Bangladesh's maritime boundary and on Thursday night dispatched a naval frigate to the area, asking the Indian ships to go back to their territory.

Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary, Touhid Hossain, said he had information that Indian ships entered Bangladesh waters. However, he refused to give details.

The Indian survey vessels started seismic survey activities some 140 nautical miles south-west of Mongla seaport, a Bengali language newspaper reported, quoting a navy source.

Dhaka - Police in Bangladesh arrested four suspected Islamist militants from the country's northern Gaibandha district Thursday, a day after the authorities beefed up security amid threats by militants against prominent political leaders.

Officials said the members of the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion captured the activists of Jama'atul Mujahidin Bangladesh, an outlawed organization responsible for a number of past militant attacks, from a village of the district.

Dhaka  - Security has been beefed up across Bangladesh amid threats by militants against prominent political leaders running in elections next week, officials said Wednesday.

"The forces have been ordered strictly maintain security across the country," said Police Chief, Noor Mohammad. Threats against two former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina Wajed and Khaleda Zia were not from an organized source, Mohammad said.

Dhaka  - The US government Wednesday warned its citizens of risks when travelling to Bangladesh during the period around the elections slated for December 29,
2008.

"The security situation in Bangladesh can be fluid. US citizens are reminded that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can quickly and unexpectedly escalate into violence," said a travel advisory issued by the State Department in Washington.

Bangladesh's December 29 election is to return the South Asian nation to democracy, ending two years of the army-backed interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed under a state of emergency.

Dhaka  - Bangladesh's elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion Tuesday captured two suspected militants after a clash in central Comilla district, officials said.

The battalion officials said the criminals hurled a homemade grenade at them when the lawmen raided the den in Debidwar Upazila, some 63 kilometres east of the capital Dhaka, injuring one battalion member. The force retaliated with gunfire wounding several of the militants.

Dhaka - Bangladesh's elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion Tuesday captured two suspected militants after a clash in central Comilla district, officials said.

The battalion officials said the criminals hurled a homemade grenade at them when the lawmen raided the den in Debidwar Upazila, some 63 kilometres east of the capital Dhaka, injuring one battalion member. The force retaliated with gunfire wounding several of the militants.