They were handed over to Kotwali police yesterday morning who later produced them before a Rangpur court with a forwarding for one-month detention. The court ordered to send them to Rangpur Central Jail with one-month detention.

The joint forces also seized government relief materials, raiding the houses and farms of two former BNP lawmakers in Chapainawabganj and Patuakhali.

They recovered two pistol magazines, two pistol covers and government relief materials--19 pieces of sarees, nine pieces of blankets, 18 pieces of tea-shirts and four sacks of sports materials -- former BNP lawmaker Shahidul Alam Talukder's house at Baufal in Patuakhali last night.

The forces seized 19 pieces of corrugated iron sheets of government relief fund from former lawmaker's Harunur Rashid's farm, sources said.

The crack forces however could not arrest the former lawmakers.

Besides, expelled Awami Ulema League president and controversial Pir Habibullah Kanchpuri was arrested at Hirajheel in Shiddhirganj upazila in Narayanganj the same night.

According to the UNB, a joint team of Detective Branch (DB) of police and Shiddhirganj police raided Hirajhil area at about 9:00pm and arrested Habibullah Kanchpuri in front of his house.

Kanchpuri is an accused in a number of cases including extortion and land grabbing.

He was later taken to Fatullah army camp for interrogation.

Our Patuakhali Correspondent reports: The army-led joint forces entered the house of Shahidul Alam Talukder, breaking open the lock and searched the house from 7:30pm to 10:30pm.

A motorbike having no registration number was also seized during the raid.

Shahidul Alam had gone into hiding soon after the present caretaker government assumed power, sources said.

The joint forces also arrested a union parishad (UP) chairman in Nilphamari and a former UP chairman in Noakhali on Thursday while the police arrested a BNP leader and godfather of local drug-peddlers in Rajshahi yesterday.

In another drive, the joint forces with the help of upazila administration recovered 371 corrugated iron (CI) sheets from a local BNP office and an institute named after a former local BNP lawmaker in Bakerganj upazila under Barisal district yesterday.

Our Rangpur correspondent reports: The joint forces picked up Sharfuddin, also a former Jatiya Party lawmaker, and his brother Abu Ashgar, also president of Rangpur District Motor Owners' Association, raiding their residences at Guptapara on Thursday night.

The police said the joint forces arrested Sharfuddin, an accused in two criminal cases, on allegation of corruption, violence and nepotism, and Azgar for collecting illegal tolls and extortion from transport sector.

The joint forces also raided the motor owners' association office yesterday afternoon and seized a number of files and other documents.

Sharfuddin was a BNP leader when he was elected the chairman of Rangpur Sadar UP. Later, he joined Jatiya Party and was elected the chairman of Rangpur municipality.

In 1996 general elections, he was elected an MP with JP ticket from Rangpur-3. In 2001, he joined the AL as JP dismissed his membership.

Sharfuddin's brother Azgar is the district Zaker Party president and joint secretary of the central committee of the party.

Our correspondent in Barisal reports: Abdul Latif Khan, assistant commissioner (land) of Bakerganj, said the joint forces searched the home of Abul Hossain Khan, former BNP lawmaker of Barisal-6, but did not find any illegal item.

The forces searched Asmat Ali Khan Institute--named after Abul Hossain's father--and Abul Hossain Khan College at Krishnakati village and seized 275 CI sheets of government relief fund.

Later, 96 more pieces of relief CI sheets were recovered from the Darial union BNP office of the same upazila.

Abul Hossain claimed over telephone that the ministry concerned allotted the CI sheets for the two institutions. He said other sheets were purchased from the open market and have valid documents.

He, however, refused to make any comment on the recovered sheets used in the BNP office.

Our Faridpur correspondent adds: The police filed a case against former BNP lawmaker Shah Mohammad Abu Zafar yesterday in connection with the recovery of 21 pieces of government relief CI sheets from his house on Thursday.

Two other cases were filed against BNP leaders Khandaker Rafiqul Islam Kamal and Ataur Rahman yesterday as the joint forces seized CI sheets of government relief fund from their business establishments.

Claiming innocence, however, Abu Zafar said he will surrender to the court. "I came to know the matter from newspapers. I will take decision after consulting with my lawyer," he told The Daily Star over mobile phone yesterday.

Our correspondent in Rajshahi reports: The police yesterday arrested Bazlul Haque Mantu, president of ward-23 unit of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal and an alleged godfather of local drug-peddlers, when he went to the Boalia Police Station for lobbying in favour of three arrested phensidyl traders.

The police said Mantu went to the Boalia PS and offered bribe to the police for the release of drug-peddlers Selim of Bulanpur, Abu Sadat of Keshabpur and Selim Reza of Sagarpara--arrested with 21 bottles of phensidyl.

Mantu has been recently identified in police book as a godfather of drug-peddlers and a broker of policemen in dealing bribes, said police sources.

Our Moulvibazar correspondent reports: The joint forces arrested three youths, including a Jubo League and a Chhatra Union leaders, in Lalbagh area of Srimangal upazila on Thursday.

The arrestees are Jasim Uddin, vice-president of Srimangal upazila Jubo League, Abdul Jabbar, general secretary of Srimangal upazila unit of Bangladesh Chhatra Union, and one Samar Miah.

Sources said the three are also brothers of three pirates.

BSS adds: The joint forces in separate drives on Thursday arrested two persons, including Borobita UP Chairman Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury Lipon, in different parts of Nilphamari district.

Morshed, who is allegedly involved with crimes and accused in a number of cases, was later sent to jail.

The joint forces also arrested Ashraf Ali from Mirzaganj Bazar of Domar upazila for allegedly cheating people.

BSS from Panchagarh adds: The forces held Boda upazila Jubo League Vice-President Stalin Chowdhury for his alleged involvement in criminal activities and extortion from his residence at Guagram Panchpir village on Thursday.

Stalin was handed over to police and a case was filed against him. The police produced him before a Panchagarh court, which sent him to jail.

The joint forces in Noakhali arrested former Kaladrap UP chairman and local BNP leader Anar Ullah on Thursday for allegedly misappropriating CI sheets from the government relief fund.