Dhaka, Aug 18 - The islands of silt that rise in remote areas of Bangladesh as rivers change course are havens for regrouping by banned Islamist militant outfits, media reports said Tuesday.

The government's inability to touch the 'political patrons' of the militant groups, a long porous border with India and easy availability of bail are among the principal reasons that have helped this.

Leaders and cadres of the banned Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) are reportedly reorganising themselves in the remote chars in the northern districts after getting out of jails through legal loopholes, New Age newspaper said quoting sources in the intelligence agencies. Chars - islands of silt - arise as rivers change course in the delta that covers most of Bangladesh.

The intelligence agencies alleged that the remote char lands spread over Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Pabna and Bogra districts in northern Bangladesh have for long been used to run training camps by the militant outfit.

'The far-flung chars are considered a safe haven for the militants as it takes the law enforcers hours to reach there, thus giving the terrorists time to evade a raid,' the officials say.

A senior official of the Special Branch told the newspaper: 'During recent investigations we came to know that the militants who were released from jails are trying to reorganise.'

According to The Daily Star, the authorities during their drive against militancy have so far arrested over 550 JMB militants, including many of their senior leaders.

'However, no initiative by the law enforcers was ever seen to bring the patrons of these militants to book,' the newspaper noted.