Meantime, a top leader of outlawed Biplobi Communist Party (BCP) was killed in a 'shootout' between police and his operatives in Kushtia sadar upazila yesterday, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

The Rab in a raid picked up Mohammad Sabbir Hossain Talukder, 52, chairman of Malliker Berh UP, from his house at 4:00am. The Rab also seized a foreign-made pistol, a double barrel gun, 40 bullets and some large daggers.

The Rab and police said Sabbir, joint secretary of Rampal upazila unit of AL, is accused of three murders and six other criminal charges. He has close link with outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party's (PBCP) Janajuddha faction, they added.

He is now being quizzed at the Rab headquarters in Khalishpur.

In another drive, the Rab and police nabbed PBCP local leader Sohel Khandkar, 32, from Shinga village in Bagerhat sadar upazila Tuesday with a pipe gun and different kinds of ammunition. He is accused of seven murders.

In Kushtia, Mafizur Rahman Mafiz alias Makbul, an accused of 13 criminal offences including four murders, was nabbed from Kushtia Judge's Court premises Tuesday.

Author of two books on armed revolution, Makbul was taken to Boruitupi village to seize BCP's firearms where fellow outlaws open fire on police. As police retaliated, Makbul received a bullet and died on the spot.