Taslima's home-coming on September 14 has triggered a new wave of street protests by extremist groups calling for her execution for allegedly blapheming Islam.

The Muslim radicals have announced a cash reward of 200,000 takas (US $ 5,000) to anyone who kills the 36-year old writer who is still hiding since her return here.

``My daughter has promised me that she will no more write anything that will hurt the sentiments of Muslims,'' she said.

Eid-ul-Ara Begum, who underwent treatment in New York for colon cancer said her daughter returned to her country ending four-yearself-imposed exile in Europe and America to remain ``beside me in my last days''. ``I'm a dying woman and I pray to almighty Allah for my daughter's safety''.

Eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain, whose firm is looking after the case filed against Taslima, said that ``all legal preparations are under way to face the arrest warrant against her and they are collecting all the papers connected with the criminal proceedings in the case.

A magistrate's court in Dhaka on September 26 revived a blasphemy case filed by a Dhaka resident and issued a fresh arrest warrant against her besides ordering police to confiscate her property.

Asked whether Taslima would apply for bail before a higher Bangladeshi court to avoid arrest, Dr Hossain said ``such a step would be taken if need arises''.

The higher courts are due to reopen on October 18 after autuman vaction.Meanwhile, quoting Taslima's family sources, the Bangladesh Observer today said she (Taslima) has consulted with her lawyers to obtain bail in the revivedblasphemy case before a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate court. Her lawyers reportedly told her that she has to surrender before the magistrate's court to get bail. ``Taslima is willing to go to court but she is deeply worried about appearing in public,'' a member of Taslima's family said.

The initial warrant against Taslima, issued when she had already left the country in 1994, followed a petition by a Dhaka resident that she had hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims through her remarks in her book Nirbachita Columns. Though Taslima was freed on bail in the state-sponsored criminal case filed in 1994 and left the country secretly for Sweden on August nine, 1994, she now needs to seek bail in the second case.

If convicted of blasphemy, the writer could be sentenced to maximum two years in jail.Reinforcing the government views that legal process has to be fully followed in her case and making abundantly clear that battle has to be fought by Taslima in the legal arena, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AbdusSamad Azad said ``law will take its own course'' with regard to the case against her.

The foreign minister said Taslima should refrain from trying to build up a campaign in international arena and she should stop writing and sending messages to various international media in a bid to build up a case internationally in her favour.

``Taslima Nasreen is not above law, the law will take its own course....,'' Azad said adding that as a citizen of Bangladesh she is entitled to take up her problems but she also should not cross the limit.

The foreign minister said, ``We all nurture religious values which should be respected. People still remember the Taslima episode and the kind of writings of her.''