The JIC earlier quizzed 32 suspects and sent back 24 of them to their districts.

Official version of the latest initiatives and investigation could not be known as the home ministry abruptly cancelled yesterday's scheduled press briefing, without explaining any reason.

Intelligence agencies are now looking for the bank accounts of Maulana Farid Uddin Masud, a former director of Islamic Foundation, who was detained for his suspected link to the Aug 17 bombings.

Meanwhile, the agencies have sought Bangladesh Bank's help to find out his accounts in different banks. Two bank accounts of Maulana Farid have already been frozen at the court order.

BARISAL
Ziaur Rahman Zia, director of Al Ikram Samaj Kalyan Sangstha (AISKS) in Barisal, is believed to be the mastermind of bomb explosions in the district. He has been absconding since August 17.

Six suspects were sent to Dhaka yesterday for quizzing in the JIC. They are Golam Morshed Chowdhury Reza, Abu Solaiman, a blind, Jalal Arefin, Jasimuddin, Maruf and Saidul.

Three of them, AISKS staff Morshed, Solaiman and Jalal, meanwhile, gave confessional statements to a magistrate stating their involvement in the blasts in the city.

Sources said the high-ups ordered the local police to hand over any major arrestees to the JIC before making any confessional statement.

Jasimuddin, Maruf and Saidul were arrested on Friday for giving shelter to AISKS official Zia. Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Police Station Mizanur Rahman said Jasimuddin is the second-in-command of Zia. They were taken on a 7-day remand yesterday.

Police continued their hunt in different parts of Jhalakati and Barisal districts to arrest Zia.

KHULNA
Law enforcers have beefed up security in Khulna city and started combing operations to nab those involved in circulation of anonymous leaflets on Thursday midnight, reports our staff correspondent from Khulna.

The incident has created panic among the city people.

Meanwhile, to get definite information about the city dwellers including their profession, authorities have printed forms that will be distributed among the residents from Wednesday.

This initiative has been taken to improve law and order situation, Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Commissioner Khan Sayeed Hasan said.

SATKHIRA
Our Satkhira correspondent reports: Police may announce a bounty of Tk 50,000 for the arrest of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh divisional commander Fakhruddin Raji, a resident of Patherghata village in Sadar upazila, who coordinated bomb attacks in Khulna division, sources said.

Meanwhile, a Satkhira magistrate court yesterday awarded an eight-day remand to Mamunur Rahman, Alamgir Hossain and Mahbubur Rahman Liton, who were arrested on Wednesday for their suspected involvement in August 17 bomb attacks.

The detainees were sent to Dhaka at about 3:30pm yesterday for interrogation in the JIC.

LEAFLETS
Similar leaflets that was spread in Khulna city on Thursday night were circulated in Bandarban and Jessore yesterday, our correspondents reports from the two districts.