The police arrested Abdul Hakim Gazi, a senior teacher of Saint Joseph High School, at his house in Batiaghata on Thursday night.

The six Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) cadres reportedly manufactured around 60 bombs at their rented house of Hakim, carried out blasts in Khulna and went into hiding, reports our Khulna staff correspondent.

"Though Hakim is released on a condition, he has been asked not to leave his house without permission," said the officer-in-charge of Batiaghata Police Station.

He will be under continuous police watch and would be taken into custody at any time for necessary legal action, the OC added.

Police seized some paper cartons, cotton yarn, electric wire, some power explosives, jagged fragments of marble and JMB booklets from his house.

Besides, detectives picked up Dr Liakat Ali, medical officer of Mongla Port Hospital, twice in the last three weeks suspecting his connection with the blasts, sources in the Detective Branch (DB) of police said.

Some books written by Ali, Hakim's neighbour, on religion were also seized.

JOYPURHAT
BDNEWS adds: Police yesterday arrested one more suspected cadre of banned JMB in Joypurhat in connection with the August 17 blasts.

The arrestee is Ziaur Rahman Zia, 25, son of Abdus Samad of Panchurchak village in sadar upazila.

Police said they had arrested Zia following confessional statements of Jahangir and Rabiul, arrested earlier for their alleged links to the blast.

Police have so far arrested 29 suspected JMB cadres in the district.

BOGRA
Police yesterday raided Naruli al-Hizab Madrasa, allegedly used as a camp to train women militants, and found camouflage trousers and a cap, reports our Bogra correspondent.

Police conducted the raid following statement of Abdur Razzak, arrested on Thursday in connection with the blasts.

CHARGE-SHEETS LIKELY FOR 2 DISTS
UNB adds: Police will press charges in six cases in connection with the bomb explosions in two districts early next month, sources said.

As many as 152 cases have been filed so far with different police stations in the wake of the blasts. Among them, five in Satkhira and one in Kushtia "have been detected", the sources added.

IOJ MEET
State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar yesterday said no innocent people is being harassed or arrested in connection with the serial blasts.

People are being arrested on the basis of specific information and evidence, and if anyone was found innocence, they were released immediately, Babar said at a meeting with the Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) delegation led by Moulana Fazlul Haq Aminee.

The meeting held at the minister's residence was also attended by IOJ leaders Rakib, Mufti Mohammad Uakkas MP, Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury MP, Abdul Latif Nizami, Junaid Al Habib, Sharffuddin Ahmed Junaid, Mufti Tyeb, Faijullah, Lokman Hossain and Mohammad Hossain.

The IOJ leaders urged the minister to bring the real culprits to book and be cautious about arresting suspected people.

The state minister urged the IOJ leaders to cooperate with the government to find out the real culprits involved in the August 17 bombings.

Meanwhile, detectives continue quizzing JMB cadre Mohammad Ershad, arrested in Dhamrai early yesterday. DB sources said Ershad gave important information about the serial blasts.