Security personnel also arrested Narsingdi town BNP General Secretary Harunur Rashid and his three brothers, who are also leaders of Jubo Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), during yesterday's countrywide anti-crime drive.

The law enforcers also recovered an unlicensed revolver and ammunition from their possession.

At least 101 persons were arrested in 13 districts during yesterday's drive.

Among yesterday's arrestees are also a number of district and upazila-level top political leaders and ward commissioners, most of whom have involvement with BNP politics.

During the operations carried out by the army, police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) some other leaders and activists of AL and its front organisations were also arrested, apart from run of the mill criminals.

Meanwhile, the home ministry said members of the armed forces arrested 43 people on charge of different crimes and recovered eight firearms, 638 bullets and three magazines of bullets in the 24 hours preceding 6:00am yesterday.

During the same time, police and Rab arrested 1,816 people including 24 who had already been convicted of crimes and sentenced in trials, and 1,020 who had arrest warrants issued against them. The law enforcers recovered 27 firearms, 13 other weapons and 724 bullets.

THE CAPITAL
The army picked up BCL GS Roton and its vice-presidents Lavlu Mollah Shishir and Mizanur Rahman, Joint Secretary Abul Kalam, Organising Secretary (OS) Khairul HasanJewel, and Assistant Secretary Tauhidur Rahman Kajol while they were going towards Shahidullah Hall of Dhaka University (DU) around 2:00am yesterday.

When the troops signalled the microbus they were in to halt at Dowel Chhattar, they sped up defying the signal, prompting the army personnel to chase and detain them.

They were first taken to an army camp at DU Gymnasium and later to Shahbagh police station (PS). However, the six were later shifted to Ramna PS for security reasons.

Meantime, a Dhaka court yesterday placed Anwar Afzal, elder brother of Monwar Hossain Dipjol, who had been arrested on Tuesday on charge of possessing illegal firearms and ammunition, on a one-day remand for interrogation, turning down his bail prayer. The order was issued after Mirpur police sought a five-day remand.

Two separate cases were also filed under the Arms Act against his brothers Dipjol and Shahadat Hossain with Mirpur PS.

NARSINGHDI
The army raided the residence of late Shamsuddin Ahmed Eshaq, and Rokeya Ahmed Lucky, Eshaq's wife, both of whom had been BNP lawmakers, in Bouakur area in the town around 2:00am yesterday. The troops recovered an unlicensed revolver, 25 shotgun bullets and two machetes form the house.

They arrested four sons of Eshaq -- Harunur Rashid, Kabir Hossain, Mohammad Ali and Kennedy. Kabir and Ali are leaders of local Jubo Dal while Kennedy of the local JCD.

Police said all the four sons of the former BNP lawmaker couple have cases against them in connection with criminal offences including possessing illegal firearms, and extortion.

After the troops handed them over to police, a case was filed against them under the Arms Act and police sent them to court.

Meantime, the army personnel arrested Narsingdi Municipality Chairman Lokman Hossain, who is also the general secretary of the town unit of AL, from his house in Bashail around 2:00am.

The troops later handed him over to police. Police said he was sent to jail to be in detention for one month.

An accused in the murder case of former municipality commissioner Manik Mia, Lokman had secured bail earlier in all the five cases he is facing, said his relatives.

CHITTAGONG
The army picked up eight persons including a Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh-backed union parishad (UP) chairman Mezbah Uddin, an AL-backed dockworkers' leader, and a BCL leader.

The troops arrested Mezbah of Mirer Sarai upazila from his house while Chittagong Port Dock Workers Union GS Abdul Ahad was arrested from the port area in the afternoon.

They also picked up Ahmudul Ullah, GS of Chandanaish upazila BCL, from his house at Hazipara under the upazila in the early hours of yesterday.

The other arrestees are Moazzemul Haq Manik, Abul Basher, Md Tanjid, Nurul Islam alias Ledu Dakat, and Nurul Amin. Ledu is accused in eight different criminal cases while Tanjid is accused in five.

GAZIPUR
The army arrested AL-backed chairman of Baria UP Akhtaruzzaman Sukkur from near Muktijoddha Sangsad office in the town yesterday afternoon.

Akhtaruzzaman had been removed from the post of the UP chairman on allegation of corruption and he appealed with higher court against the removal.

The troops also arrested one Abu Mia, a labourer in Gazipur food depot.

Rab arrested an alleged criminal named Masud from Harinal area.

KHULNA
A joint force arrested Rampal upazila unit BNP Vice-president Khwaja Moinuddin Akhtar, who is also the chairman of Ujalpur UP, yesterday noon.

In another raid, the forces arrested Rupsha upazila AL Vice-president Shahjahan Kabir alias Paris, who is also the chairman of Bahirdia UP, from Kalibari Road. They also arrested an armed cadre of outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (Janajuddha), Obaidur Rahman, from Shannashi Bazar.

A fertiliser trader, Sirajul Islam, was also arrested from his shop at Boro Bazar in the city, on charge of illegally hoarding fertiliser.

RAJSHAHI
Police, Rab and the army arrested at least 50 people including political leaders and listed criminals and other suspects in separate drives in Rajshahi yesterday.

Police yesterday evening arrested Charghat Municipality BNP President Kaimuddin, who is accused in several criminal cases filed by local people and the authority of Sarda Police Academy.

In a block raid in Bagmara upazila, police picked up 36 persons for their suspected involvement in underground politics. However, 21 of them were released after interrogation.

The arrestees include Convener of Tahirpur Municipality BCL Delbar Hossain, and Shahidul Islam, a teacher of Baruipara High School.

In Durgapur upazila, police and the army picked up 25 persons including Jubo Dal supporters Mahbub and Enamul.

They raided the houses of Durgapur upazila BNP President Ashraful Kabir Bulu, GS of the same unit of BNP and municipal chairman Saidur Rahman Montu, and Jubo dal leader Enamul Haque, but failed to arrest any one.

CHANDPUR
Ten people including district Shechhasebak Dal Organising Secretary Alam Khan, Algi UP Chairman Harunur Rashid, who is also the joint secretary of Hainchar upazila BNP, were arrested during a joint drive by the army and police in the early hours of yesterday.

COMILLA
At least 10 leaders and activists of both AL and BNP were arrested during an army-led drive in Comilla in the early hours of yesterday.

The arrestees include AL activists Lutfur Rahman and Masud, BCL leader Kayum, Moniruzzaman Monir and Md Jashimuddin, local Jatiya Party leader Masum, and Jobu Dal cadres Shahin and Akhter Hossain.

SATKHIRA
Army personnel arrested Mohammad Ali and Masum Billah Shahin, president and organising secretary of the district Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal respectively, from Matiadanga area Tuesday night.

They also arrested Abdul Gaffar, an associate of Mohammad Ali.

RANGPUR
Rab arrested district BCL Office Secretary Nayan around 11:00am from a house at Khalipatari under Gangachara upazila and recovered a US-made revolver and two bullets.

During primary interrogation, Nayan disclosed the names of his two associates -- Yusuf and Mintu of the town. Rab recovered a revolver from Yusuf's possession.

MANIKGANJ
The army arrested Alamgir Hossain, Singair upazila unit president of Jubo League, and Sheikh Kabir Ahmed, upazila unit organising secretary of Jubo Dal, Tuesday night.

They also arrested four drug peddlers.

TANGAIL
Raiding the Thana Para residence of Sohel Khan, commissioner of ward no 13 of Tangail municipality, around 3:00am the army arrested him.

Earlier, the troops arrested Hatem Ali Shikdar, commissioner of ward no 8 in Sakhipur municipality on Tuesday.

COX'S BAZAR
Navy personnel raided Teknaf Sadar union parishad office in Cox's Bazar and arrested the UP Chairman and local pourashava BNP President Jafar Alam on Tuesday, reports UNB.