Killings in the district last month crossed all previous records, which worried law enforcers.

According to police records and newspapers reports, at least 45 people were killed in the district in the last two months from September 1 to October 31, compared to 30 in previous two months. Twenty people were killed in September and 25 in October.

At least 200 people were killed in last ten months in the district alone.

Sources said 21 people were killed in January, 18 in February, 22 in March, 19 in April, 13 in May, 18 in June, 11 July, 19 in August.

The parties involved are Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML), PBCP-Janajuddho, Bipplobi Communist Party (BCP), New Bipplobi Communist Party (NBCP), Banglar Communist Party (BCP-Laltu) Gono Mukti Fouj (GMF) and Jashod Gono Bahini (JGB).

Victims of the parties included political leaders and party rivals, businessman failing to pay toll and girls, killed after rape.

According to sources, these parties with at least 1000 armed cadres in 20 groups are active in the southwestern region.

Some political leaders of major parties are involved with these underground parties or patronise those with money and shelter, they said.

"They use the outlaws for various purposes including election, establishing supremacy or killing political opponents," a high ranking police official said seeking anonymity.

Intelligence agencies identified at least nine such 'godfathers' and 125 'professional terrorist' of outlawed parties in Chuadanga and gave the list to higher authorities several months ago but to no effect, he said.

These outlaws maintain close links with a section of policemen and get tip-off before police raid. They evaded arrest during 'joint drives' earlier and are also escape operations by the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), he said.

There are six joint force camps and 24 police outposts in Chuadanga but the law enforces cannot make any headway in netting outlaws.

Mozammel Haq, a ruling party lawmaker, who faced attacks at his business establishments several times told this correspondent over telephone, "Nobody is secure from the clutch of criminals. "Criminals threatened to blow up my business establishments and attacked my two mills twice for nonpayment of toll", Haq said.

Talking to this correspondent, a district Awami League (AL) leader seeking anonymity claimed that a section of ruling party men are patronising outlaws to use tem in the next parliamentary election.