With the split in PBCP and floating of 'PBCP-ML, Commu-nist War' last month, the number of outlawed parties active in the region is now 11.

Since its creation, PBCP-ML, Communist War killed at least nine people, branding them as its 'rivals' and 'class enemies'. Its cadres also made some bomb attacks in several places in the districts during the period.

Sources claimed that cadres of the outlawed outfit are also spreading to other districts in the region.

According to police, the nine people killed by its activists include three ruling BNP men and one Awami League (AL) activist. The rest five are its "rivals" belonging to PBCP-ML and PBCP-Janajuddho. Of the nine, five were killed in Chuadanga, two in Meherpur and one each in Kushtia and Jhenidah.

The new outlawed faction made at least 20 bomb attacks in different areas in the four southwestern districts, injuring at least 20 people.

There may be more killings and bomb blasts as it has vowed to "eliminate" its "rivals" and "class enemies", police and other sources said.

Policemen, rival party cadres and political leaders are their main targets, they said. The latest killings by PBCP-ML, Communist War took place on Thursday in Meherpur and Chuadanga. The victims were BNP activist Sawpan and two Janajuddho cadres, killed at Chadpur in Gangni upazila in Meherpur and at Bhogaibogail in Alamdanga upazila in Chua-danga.

According to police, the new faction of outlaws is led by one Rony Biswas. Hailing from a village in Alamdanga in Chuadanga, Rony was a top leader of PBCP-ML. Rony left PBCP-ML and joined Tapan alias Dada Tapan when PBCP-Janajuddho was formed in 2000. It was lead by Tapan. Rony was made the 'regional leader' of Janajuddho.

He left Janajuddho following a dispute with Tapan and formed another fraction of the party last month.

Sources said a good number of cadres of Janajuddho and other outlawed parties have joined Rony. The other outlawed outfits in the region are Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML), PBCP-Janaj-uddho, Bipplobi Communist Party (BCP), New Bipplobi Communist Party (NBCP), Banglar Communist Party (BCP-Laltu), Gono Mukti Fouj (GMF) and Jashod Gono Bahini (JGB), Socialist Party (SP), Bipplobi Anuragi and Chhinnomul Communist Party (CCP).

"Now the ML War is a powerful outfit in the region," Awlad Hossain, Acting Police Superi-ntendent of Chuadanga said while talking to this correspondent. "It is spreading its activities in adjacent districts also", he added.

Police however, caught two cadres of the outfit last month. They were killed in a 'crossfire'.

"Police have taken all out measures to curb criminal activities (by outlaws) in the region and peace will be maintained at any cost", Noor Mohammad, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police of Khulna Range said over phone.

"All police chiefs in the districts have been asked not to spare any criminal, particularly outlaws", the DIG told this correspondent when contacted.

Top police officials in other districts in the region shared the same views and said they are determined to check outlaws' activities.

This correspondent also talked to Rony Biswas who responded to a cell phone call from his hideout.

"Peace loving innocent people are not our target. We did not kill any innocent man. We killed those who were involved in misdeed in the name of establishing a classless society and traitors", Rony said. "Our struggle is to establish a society where the poor and labourers will get food".