The 16 include 11 BNP leaders and five AL leaders.

Besides, a ward commissioner of Jhenidah municipality and a Union Parishad (UP) chairman in Sadar upazila are also on the run to evade law enforcer's dragnet, the sources said.

There are allegations of crime including misappropriation of relief goods, toll collection and tender manipulation and land grabbing against them, the sources said.

Leaders who went into hiding following declaration of emergency on January 11 include BNP central organising secretary and former whip Moshiur Rahman and former party lawmakers from Jhenidah-3 and Jhenidah-1 Shahidul Islam Master and Abdul Wahab. Moshiur Rahman was elected from Jhenidah-2 constituency in 2001 election.

Shahidul Islam Master is accused in two cases lodged with Maheshpur police station--one grabbing relief goods including CI sheets, blankets and Sarees (case no.26 date 22-02-07) and the other (case no. 23 date 23-02-07) is for building his chamber with the relief CI sheets.

Sub-Inspector Monirul Islam (SI) and SI Murtoja Ali are the plaintiffs in the cases, police said.

Kaliganj thana AL secretary Anwarul Azim is accused in two cases lodged with Kaliganj police station. One is for his alleged involvement in a murder and another was filed under the Explosive Materials Act.

Cases are yet to be filed against Moshiur Rahman and Abdul Wahab but they are hiding as joint forces raided their houses several times, police said.

"Although specific cases are yet to be filed against Moshiur Rahman and Abdul Wahab, we have in hand a good number of allegations against them", a high police official in Jhenidah told The Daily Star preferring anonymity.

"You will see how many cases are filed against them after their arrest", the police official said.

"Plaintiffs in the would be police", he said.

Each of the leaders now on the run is on the list of law enforcers and face cases filed with different police stations in the district, according to police sources.

When asked, Jhenidah Police Superintendent Zillur Rahman said, besides police, joint forces and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) are also hunting for them.

"We will arrest them if we can detect their whereabouts or if anybody gives a clue", he said.

"We have listed them for their alleged involvement in corruption, tender manipulation, relief misappropriation and sheltering criminals and muscleman. Joint forces raided their residences several times and they are under watch for arrest", the SP said.

"I think, at the moment, they don't dare to stay at least in Jhenidah district", he claimed.

Eleven BNP leaders, five belonging to AL a commissioner of Jhenidah municipality and a UP chairman are now on the list of arrest, police sources informed.

Sources in Jhenidah Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) also said that they received allegations of crime and corruption against those leaders including the three former lawmakers. The allegations have been sent to ACC higher authorities for directive, they said.

According to police sources, the leaders in Jhenidah-1 on the run are former BNP lawmaker Abdul Wahab, Shailakupa thana AL secretary Mosharraf Hossain alias Sona, organising secretary Idris Ali, Shailakupa thana BNP secretary Amjad Hossain and Shailakupa municipal unit BNP secretary Mijanur Rahman Bablu.

In Jhenidah-2 constituency, former lawmaker Moshiur Rahman, district BNP joint secretary Abdul Alim, party leader Asadur Rahman, district Jatiyotabadi Jubo Dal president Zahiduzzaman Mona, secretary MA Majid, organising secretary Kamal Azad Nannu, Jhenidah municipal commissioner Anisur Rahman and the chairman of Taher-Huda UP in Sadar upazila Mojammel Hossain are hiding, police said.

Jhenidah-4 constituency, Kaliganj upazila AL secretary Anwarul Azim and Jatiyotabadi Chattra Dal (JCD) president Abdul Hamid are evading arrest, police sources said.