The extremists, belonging to a list of 36, include Abdur Rashid Malitha alias Tapan, founder of Janajuddho faction of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP).

Tapan arrested from Jessore in 2001, escaped on January 26, 2001 from police custody at Khulna Judges Court with the help of a group of armed cadres of his underground party.

Twenty-one other notorious extremists being hunted by police and Rab are Sumon, Shoaib, Sabuj, Tapash, Rob, Saidul, Noor Islam, Madhu and Kartik of PBCP Janajuddho faction, Biddut of PBCP M-L faction and Shoilen, Bipul, 'Golden' Shihab, Bashir, Ekdil, Alimuddin, Selim Reza, Ittehad, Budo, Osman and Swapan of New Biplobi Communist Party.

They went into hiding after a massive hunt for them was launched by joint forces and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).

Sources informed police that many of these 22 fugitive extremists have returned to their respective localities recently with criminal motive.

Four of the 36 listed outlaws are now in Khulna district jail. They are Rafiqul Islam Hitlar, Mahmud Hasan Shimul, Bitu and Mashikur Rahman alias Joy of PBCP Janajuddho faction.

Seven other extremists were killed in 'crossfire' during the last one year.

They are 'BDR' Altaf, Amit Hasan and Tushar of PBCP Janajuddho faction, Mofakkhar Hossain Chowdhury and Abdur Rashid alias Tapu of PBCP M-L faction, former ward commissioner of Khulna City Corporation Asaduzzaman Litu and Mafizur Rahman of PBCP (Maoist).

Monoranjon Goshai alias Mrinal, Khan Alamgir Hossain alias Alam and Barun of New Biplobi Communist Party (NBCP) were killed by their rivals in different places of West Bengal.

Sources in the police department said that the on-going combing operations are not only aimed at arresting the 22 fugitive extremists but also to nab their associates and recovering illegal arms.