Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested an Awami League leader of Meherpur district from Dhaka on Sunday for his alleged patronisation of and involvement in outlaw activities.

A Rab-1 team in Dhaka nabbed Meherpur AL organising secretary Mokhlesur Rahman Mukul, 45, from Mirpur area in the morning. He was produced before a Meherpur court yesterday and later sent to jail. Sources said with the arrest of Mukul, law enforcers seem to have started a manhunt against the outlaw 'godfathers' in the extremist infested southwest region.

When contacted, a high Rab official in Khulna division told this correspondent over phone that lists of so-called 'political godfathers' are being prepared and "we will bring them to book" Wishing anonymity, the Rab official said a good number of outlaw godfathers hold posts of different political parties in the region. Upon Mukul's arrest, Rab maintained top secrecy to take him to its headquarters. After interrogation, he was handed over to Gangni police in Meherpur.

Police said Mukul is accused in six cases filed with different police stations in Meherpur and Jessore. Of the cases, high court granted him bails in four cases and the two remain pending with Meherpur and Jessore courts which issued separate arrest warrants against him in connection with a sensational seven-murder case and a cheating case in 2003 and 2005 respectively.

Rab and police sources said Mukul is one of the top political leaders in southwest region who has been patronising outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML) for long. Sources said Mukul was a close aide to Janajuddho founder Abdur Rashid Malitha Tapan alias Dada Tapan who was first arrested from Mukul's house in 1994. During the time, he was Gangni upazila unit AL publicity secretary. Dada Tapan was killed in a 'shootout' with Rab-12 in Kushtia on June 18, 2008. Mukul is now owner of two garment factories in Uttara of Dhaka and has business in Jessore.

-Daily Star