The JMB suicide squad threatened to kill SP Ali Hossen Fakir along with his family members as he has recently submitted a charge sheet against the cadres of the militant outfit and sought remand of two JMB cadres named Kawser Alam Sumon and Amanullah alias Sanaullah.

The JMB operatives in Barisal sent letters to five NGOs--NGO Forum, Shayestabad Altruism Institution of Nationwide Task (SAINT) Bangladesh, Voluntary Organisation for Social Development (VOSD), Padokkhep and Disha, threatening to blow them up as the NGOs "do not maintain Islamic code of conduct and are engaged in looting the poor's wealth and taking foreign aids".

Meanwhile, question arose following Tuesday's detection of a JMB den in Rangpur whether or not the police administration itself is working as an informant of the banned Islamist militant group.

The suspicion of police link to the JMB became more evident as the law enforcement agency concealed and did not include the JMB hit list recovered from the Rangpur hideout in its seizure list.

The police have in fact denied recovering any JMB hit list from the rented house of Abdul Awal, detained son-in-law of JMB chief Abdur Rahman. But sources in the law enforcement agencies confirmed the seizure of one such list, naming the next targets of the JMB.

Our Rangpur correspondent reports: The slow pace Rangpur police in conducting any drive to arrest any local militant has raised doubt about its link to the militants.

The law enforcers in Rangpur have been mysteriously inactive to launch further drive to detect militant network in the district after its Rangpur den was busted on Tuesday night.

Question of involvement of a part of the police administration with JMB activities further deepened following the recovery of a handwritten letter of Awal's wife, which was supposed to be delivered to Awal, who is now being interrogated in the joint Interrogation Cell (JIC).

The letter reads, "Bangla Bhai is trying to negotiate with the authorities concerned for your case. Don't worry about it."

Meanwhile, the recovery of an identity card (ID) of one Abdur Rahman, showing him as an employee of the Saudi Arabian embassy in Bangladesh, created speculations inside the police administration.

The police wondered that this Abdur Rahman is the absconding JMB chief himself as the photo has resemblance with a young Abdur Rahman.

The suspicion of police link to the JMB got stronger as an SP from Nilphamari was tasked with carrying out the operation in Awal's den at Noorpur in Rangpur, bypassing the Rangpur police.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Baharul Alam told The Daily Star that the Nilphamari SP conducted the operation because he got the clue first.

A police source said the DIG did not inform the Rangpur police about the operation, fearing disclosure of information from them.

Threats in Netrakona, Barisal
Our Netrakona correspondent writes: SP Ali Hossen told The Daily Star yesterday that some JMB cadres have been threatening him for the last three days over telephone that if he further "disturbs" the JMB cadres, they will kill him and his family members.

Ali Hossen, however, expressed hope that the militants threatening him will be arrested in three or four days.

Meanwhile, Netrakona police for the first time admitted that the district's people are involved with the JMB.

Following the threats, additional police forces were deployed at different points of the main roads, bus stands, railway stations, and the offices and residences of DC and SP.

Meanwhile, some reliable sources informed that many JMB cadres from different parts of the country have taken shelter at different mosques in the remote areas of the district as Tablig Jamaat activists.

Our Barisal correspondent adds: The five NGOs received the hand-written threat-letters on Wednesday afternoon through regular postal delivery.

The letters read that after the attacks on the judiciary, the militants will now take steps against the NGOs.

Sources said the letters were posted from the Barisal divisional head post office on November 22 and delivered the next day.

Awlad Hossain and Abdus Salam Talukdar, regional in-charges of NGO Forum and SAINT Bangladesh, acknowledging the facts said they informed the law enforcers about the threat-letters and lodged general dairies in this connection with the Kotwali Police Station.

Kotwali PS officer-in-charge Sheikh Zillur Rahman and duty officer Habibur Rahman said the NGOs have been advised to take precaution regarding their movements, allowing visitors to their offices and taking law enforcers' help in case of any problem or suspicion.

Nilphamari
Our correspondent in Nilphamari adds: Some JMB members are now helping the police, supplying information about their cadres after the countrywide crackdown on the Islamist outfit began following the August 17 countrywide serial bomb blasts, police sources claimed.

The JMB members started helping the police after killing of two judges in Jhalakathi, fearing arrest, the sources added.

The police also claimed that Awal was arrested in Thakurgaon on November 18 following tips from the JMB men.

Earlier on Wednesday, Nilphaamari SP Shoeb Ahamed told The Daily Star that a very important source contacted him at 7:15pm Tuesday and gave information about the Rangpur JMB hideout.

He said they were very close to arresting Shaikh Abdur Rahman.

Rajshahi
Our staff correspondent in Rajshahi reports: Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday arrested two JMB leaders with huge explosives and bomb-making materials.

According to a Rab press release, the arrestees are Jahangir Alam alias Abidur of Lalpur, Natore, a Rajshahi district leader, and Abdur Rahman alias Shaikh Khalid of Naldanga, who was responsible for the August 17 blasts in Chapainawabganj.

The recovered bomb-making materials are similar to those used on August 17. The Rab members also recovered Tk 20,000 from them.

Tipped off, the JMB cadres were held from two separate houses in Dingadoba and Chhoto Bangram areas in the city. The Rab did not disclose information about their dens.

The arrestees confessed that they were planning for a fresh subversive operation in Rajshahi and gathered all necessary equipment including gunpowder.

The Rab also said the arrestees confessed that they exploded bombs at the Kajla Gate of Rajshahi University and Gouranga point in the city on August 17 at the order of JMB chief Abdur Rahman.