At least 300 extremists from 14 southwestern districts have taken shelter in Dhaka city to evade arrest and escape from 'crossfire, by law enforcement agencies. The law enforcing agencies have launched a crackdown on the extremists in Southwestern region of the country following resurgence of their activities in recent times and recovery of seven beheaded bodies during the last three months.

At least 2,000 trained members of the extremist groups have of late stepped up their anti-state and anti-social activities in Kushtia, Meherpur,Chuadanga, Pabna, Jhenidah, Satkhira, Khulna, Jessore, Bagerhat ,Barisal and Pirojpur.Their activities have sent panic down the spine of all sections of people.

The spate of anti-state and anti-social activities prompted state minister for home Shamsul Islam Tuku to ask them to surrender. Otherwise, drive against them would be intensified further, he warned. RAB nabbed Ahasan kabir and his younger brother Mizanur Rahman, two extremist leaders of Jessore region, from their hideouts in Dhaka on September 2.

Earlier, RAB a arrested another militant leader of Barisal region from the capital. The additional director general of RAB, Col Mizanur Rahman told the New Nation that many of the extremist leaders of the south western region belonging Biplobi Communist Party, Purba Bangla Communist party (ML),Purba Bangla Communist Party ( Lalpataka) and new Biplobi Communist Party re now hiding in the capital. Some other leaders of the militant groups have fled to India

Shaylan, a leader of Biplobi Communist Party, Amit alias Jewel , Harun, and Sanjoy of Purbo Bangla Communist Party (ML), Saiful Islam Modhu , Ratan alias Titas alias Nikil Sarkar of Purba Bangla Coomunist party (Lalpataka) have been hiding at different places in the capital. They are changing their hideout frequently to avoid arrest and cross fire, intelligence sources said. At least three outlaws were killed by RAB in Kushtia on September 6.

The dead were identified as Arifur Alam Akkas, 45, a pirate in the Sundarbans area, Murad Hossain alias Bhola, 40, a leader of outlawed Gono Bahini and Hassan Ali alias Hasan Kasai, 32, a cadre of Janajuddha. A top-ranking extremist Mohon was killed in a shootout during a joint operation of RAB and police at Doulatpur in the outskirts of Kushtia town on Sep 26.

-New Nation