The districts are Khulna, Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Magura, Jessore, Narail, Bagerhat and Satkhira.

Eighteen people were killed in Kushtia, 9 in Khulna, 8 each in Chuadanga and Jhenidah, 6 in Magura, 5 each in Satkhira and Bagerhat, 4 in Jessore, 2 in Meherpur and 1 in Narail.

High police officials seeking anonymity said the Janajuddho faction of the outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) was responsible for the killings.

Of the victims, 22 were outlawed party rivals, 17 were leaders and activists of political parties, 8 were businessmen and 16 innocent people.

Janajuddho claimed that their cadres had killed 8 BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists for what they said to take revenge of 'crossfire' killings.

The businessmen were killed for not paying illegal toll while rival party men were killed following internal feud in the outlawed parties as well as to establish supremacy in the areas.

Earlier, 53 people were killed in September, 41 in August, 46 in July and 42 in June.

Sources said, about 10,000 cadres of 13 outlawed parties have become active in the region in last several months. They are reorganising themselves by recruiting fresh cadres.

The parties are Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP- Janajuddho), PBCP- ML, PBCP-Red Flag and PBCP-Communist War, Biplobi Communist Party (BCP), New Biplobi Communist Party (NBCP), Banglar Communist Party (BCP-Laltu) Gano Mukti Fouz (GMF) and Gano Bahini (GB), Socialist Party (SP), Biplobi Anuragi, Chhinnomul Communist Party (CCP) and Sharbahara People's Mancha (SPM).

At least 8 incidents of bomb blasts were reported within the period which killed two people.

In September, 24 incidents of bomb blasts were reported while the figure was 14 in August.

Police seeking anonymity admitted the fact of deterioration of the law and order in the region.

However, they said the situation would improve soon because of intensification of their anti-crime drive.