Joint forces during a raid at a house in the village also recovered some Jihadi books, 23 CDs, 33 cassettes, membership forms, leaflets, a huge quantity of mobile phone cards and dresses like that of army.

The arrestees are Mizanur Rahman Tutul, 32, his wife Reshma Parvin, 25 and his two sisters-in-law Rehena Parvin, 22 and Khadiza Parvin, all hailing from Shetpur village.

Reshma Parvin, Rehena and Khadiza Parvin are daughters of Abdul Bari of the same village.

Police said, acting on a tip-off, joint forces led by Maj Alamgir cordoned the house of Abdul Bari when his son-in-law Mizanur Rahman was holding a secret meting.

The arrested militants told this correspondent at Kaligonj thana hajat in presence of law enforcers that one Faroque Hossain, son of Sheikh Ansar Ali of the same village, is their district leader.

Women militant Reshma Parvin said they are not members of banned JMB.

They are trying to motivate people to follow Islam correctly and ardently, she said. But Reshma and others remained mum when asked by journalists why they are doing their activities secretly.

Kaligonj thana Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nur Islam said, "We are interrogating the militants separately to find out other militants".

On contact, Satkhira police superintendent said arrest of three women militants in the district proves that the militants are recruiting women in their organisations after the arrest and execution of JMB kingpins.

Law enforcers are conducting drives in different areas to nab Faroque and also find out dens of militants, he said.