In separate actions, joint forces arrested three local BNP leaders in Khagrachhari, two in Noakhali and seized 86 corrugated iron (CI) sheets meant for relief.

The home ministry said in the 24 hours up to 6:00am yesterday, police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested 1,604 people including 826 wanted criminals and 31 convicts while the armed forces arrested 15 including eight criminals.

ENAYET-HARUN ARREST
Rab spotted Enayet's Hummer in front of the UTC building on Panthapath Monday night and they asked the ntv MD to appear in person at Rab camp in Mohammadpur with documents in support of the vehicle.

They also asked Harunur Rashid -- a former lawmaker from Chapainawabganj -- to appear at the same time as they suspected that the vehicle was imported tax-free using Harun's privilege as a lawmaker.

When the men presented themselves at the camp yesterday afternoon, joint forces arrested them. They were being quizzed at the Rab camp till the filing of this report at 8:00pm.

The Hummer H2 (Dhaka Metro Gha 11-6795), which retails at between $54,850 and $64,625 in the US, was taken to Rab 2 office at Moghbazar.

Commanding officer of Rab 2 Akbar Hossain confirmed Enayet and Harun's arrests and the vehicle seizure.

Rab officials said Harun brought in the SUV on April 25, 2005. The following day Enayetur bought the truck for $18,450. At that time, its market price was about $80,000.

In Rajshahi, joint forces arrested Shahadat Hossain Sahu, Awami League-backed Rajshahi City Corporation commissioner of ward 17, from his office at Nawdapara on Monday night on charges of grabbing public lands and patronising terrorism.

The forces also raided his house and seized land deeds, bank account books, and cellular phone sets.

Sahu is said to own three buildings in the city, a hotel, a community centre and 12 shops.

In Noakhali, the joint forces arrested Abu Sayed Chowdhury, local BNP leader and chairman of Mohammadpur UP, and Mohammad Ali Tofadar, Chatkhil municipality BNP president, for corruption, misappropriation of public funds and land.

In Khagrachhari, police arrested district Jubo Dal president Saidul Islam Babul, municipality BNP secretary Joynal Patwari and organising secretary Ahsan Ullah Milon from their houses.

The joint forces also arrested four BNP activists from Rampur upazila and recovered 36 CI sheets from Matiranga TNO office staff Zakir's house.

In Moulvibazar, joint forces arrested Muhaddis Bakth Choudhury, office assistant at Civil Surgeon's office of Moulvibazar, for taking bribes.

In Satkhira, police on Monday night recovered 24 CI sheets from a local club owned by Mehedi Hasan, Nagarghata UP Jamaat Ameer, at village Nagarghata in Tala Upazila.

In another drive, police recovered 13 CI sheets from the house of a listed top gangster Nazrul Islam, also a close associate of former BNP MP Habibul Islam Habib, at Kazirhat village in Kalaroa upazila.

In Bogra, police recovered 49 CI sheets from a warehouse belonging to BNP Shibganj thana unit president ATM Kamal Selim at Amtoli area on Tuesday noon.