Police filed at least six general diaries (GDs) with Sadar thana against Abdul Khaleque for 'interfering not to arrest the militants', the sources told this correspondent yesterday.

They said they are now looking for the former lawmaker in connection with the GDs.

The former lawmaker also sent a 'slip' to the then Sadar thana officer-in -charge (OC) Golam Mohammad asking him not arrest JMB militants. The 'slip' was sent after the August 17 blasts in Satkhira and other districts in 2005, a police official said seeking anonymity.

Even after getting sufficient evidences of his involvement with JMB militants, police failed to take any action against Abdul Khaleque Mondal as he was a lawmaker of Jamaat, a key partner in the BNP-led alliance, he said.

According to sources, Rawshan Ali, a pickpocket from Islampur in Sadar upazila, helped police to detect and arrest JMB activist Nasir Uddin Dafadar soon after the August 17 serial blasts in 2005.

During interrogation, Nasir disclosed to police that JMB cadres took part the blasts and also named the activists in Satkhira and their kingpins.

Thereafter, law enforcers detected arrested some of the militants who took part blasts in Satkhira.

They are Maniruzzaman Munna, Monwar Hossain, Anisur Rahman Khokon, Indian national Gias Uddin, Mahbubur Rahman. All of them gave statements to a Magistrate Court confessing their involvement in the blasts.

Law enforcers then detected that there was a 'strong JMB network' in Satkhira and that JMB militants from Satkhira also took part in blasts in Rajshahi and Chittagong regions.

Police and other law enforcers made a list of JMB militants in Satkhira district.

As law enforcers launched a drive to nab JMB militants including kingpins, the then Jamaat lawmaker Abdul Khaleque Mondal was very much, police sources said. He influenced law enforcers not to arrest the militants, saying they were Jamaat leaders and activists, the sources claimed.

Khaleque Mondal also expressed his dissatisfaction with law enforcers as they, defying him (Khaleque), arrested 'listed' JMB militants Ashraf Master of Taluigachha and Riaz Uddin of Tengra villages in the Sadar upazila, the sources said.

Law enforcers launched several drives to arrest militant kingpins- Maulana Wasiqur Rahman of Taluigachha village and Ala udddin Moral of Kushkhali in Sadar upazila--but failed to nab them as Jamaat leader Khaleque sheltered them, the sources claimed.

On the other, he sent a 'slip' to the then Sadar thana officer-in-charge (OC) Golam Mohammad, asking him not to arrest JMB cadres.

Thereafter, the then OC filed a GD against him, sources in Sadar thana police said.

The JMB cadres then went into hiding. They ultimately returned homes as police showed reluctant to arrest them due to pressure by the then Jamaat lawmaker, locals alleged.

Police prepared a list of 129 JMB militants and collected all evidences of their involvement in militants activities and made preparations to file cases against them.

Police showed the 'ejahar' (FIR) of the case to local journalists on October 1, 2005. The electronic media had also broadcast the preparation by Satkhira police to file cases against 129 JMB cadres on the same day.

But due to political pressure, they filed a case with Sadar thana against only 11 JMB cadres under the Special Powers Act, the sources said.

Of the accused, only three JMB cadres are in jail, they said.

Besides, there were allegation against Khaleque Mondal that he helped and arranged women JMB cadres to give training at Chhoygharia Malia Madrasha in Sadar upazila and it was also published in different national dailies, the sources said.

Local JMB leaders and activists also held a secret meeting, arranged by Maulana Wasiqur Rahman, at a house at Taluigachha village in Sadar upazila on July 7 last year.

At least 25 JMB leaders and activists including Maulana Wasiqur Rahman, Arshad Ali of Beledanga, Kawsar Ali and Solaiman Hossain of Taluigachha attended the meeting.

National and local dailies published the news but no action was taken as Maulana Wasiqur Rahman is a Jamaat leader and relative of Khaleque Mondol.

Local people have demanded action against JMB leaders and activists and the former Jamaat lawmaker for sheltering militants after fresh investigation.

On contact, Khaleque Mondol denied the allegation and said it is a 'conspiracy against me'.

Sadar thana Officer-in-Charge Safiqur Rahman confirmed fling of the six GDs against the then lawmaker Khaleque Mondol for interfering in their activities.

"We will soon start investigation on this and action will be taken against them after investigation", he added.