They are among 40 people on the list of law enforcers, wanted for alleged involvement in corruption and sheltering musclemen, the sources said. The list also includes some Union Parishad chairmen.

Nine belonging to both AL and BNP were arrested on April 10 and 11 and are now in jail on 30 days' detention, police sources said. After arrest of the nine, the rest on the list are on their heels, the sources said.

"We listed 40 political leaders including two former lawmakers for their alleged involvement in corruption and sheltering terrorists and musclemen", a police official told this correspondent on Sunday. "We arrested nine of them and the rest are absconding. Law enforcing agencies are trying to nab them", the official said seeking anonymity.

He declined to name the leaders but said the two former lawmakers from AL and BNP are on top of the list.

"One of them obtained an anticipatory bail from court but the official letter is yet to reach us", the official added.

Joint forces recovered government relief CI sheets from a poultry farm owned by one of the former lawmakers on February 17. The former lawmaker and his son face cases filed with Chatmohor police station in this connetion, he said.

Joint forces also raided the former lawmaker's residence on February 17 but he escaped, he added.

"I heard that he (the former lawmaker) obtained anticipatory bail from High Court last week. We are yet to get any official letter in this regard", Officer-in-Charge of Chatmoher police station Zahidul Islam said.

Police sources said joint forces on February 18 seized 412 pieces of CI sheets from an educational institution set up by another former lawmaker. A case was filed in this connection with Sujanagar police station. Pabna Anti Corruption Commission' (ACC) is also investigating the case, OC of Shujanagar police station Md. Tarikul Islam said.

When contacted, ACC Director SM Rashidur Reza also admitted that they are probing a case against the former lawmaker for alleged misappropriation of CI sheets.

Many of the UP chairmen facing corruption charges do not attend regular meetings on law and order as they are absconding, Shujanager Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shohel Imam Khan told this correspondent.

The persons arrested on April 10 and 11 are Pabna district AL president and former lawmaker from Pabna-4 constituency Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu, district BNP president and former lawmaker Sirajul Islam Sarder, Pabna municipality chairman and Pabna district AL organising secretary Kamrul Hassan Mintu, Ishwardi pourasava chairman and BNP leader Mokhleshur Rahman Bablu, central vice-president of AL's labour front Sramik League Rashidullah, Pabna Sonali Bank CBA president Abul Ehsan Bappi, Bharara Union Parished chairman and AL leader Abu Sayed, BNP leader and former chairman of Hemayetpur Union Parishad Alauddin Malitha and former UP chairman Shafiqul Islam Shafi.