Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) experts after primary examination said each of the bombs recovered from the livestock department office premises in West Baniakhamar could cause huge casualties and damage to property.

Police across the country arrested 31 suspected militants including madrasa teachers and students since Thursday night.

Besides, banned Islamic outfits including Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) continue to issue threats to government offices and institutions.

Militants on Thursday threatened to blow up Khulna Zilla School and kill its teachers and students, while three militant outfits in a joint letter on Wednesday threatened to blow up a Union Parishad office in Bogra.

KHULNA BOMB RECOVERY
Sonadanga police recovered the homemade bombs around 9:00am, reports our Staff Correspondent in Khulna.

As the news spread, locals got panicked and marched in a procession, demanding arrest of those who kept the bombs there.

Police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have so far recovered 11 bombs in the districts in the last three weeks.

KMP Commissioner Khan Sayeed Hasan told The Daily Star last night criminals might kept the bomb to carry out attacks on the police. "We have already alerted our forces," he said.

Meanwhile, police arrested a youth last night during a Siratunnabi Mahfil on the Circuit House premises. Delwar Hossain Saidee, MP attended the Mahfil as the chief guest.

The police seized a bomb-like substance and two pencil batteries from the detainee, Ziad Ali, 25, of Rampal upazila in Bagerhat.

Besides, police arrested Abdul Kader Mia, 42, an activist of 'Allahr Dal', in city on Thursday night.

SIRAJGANJ
Enayetpur police recovered four powerful bombs from Betil Kharipatti in Belkuchi upazila on Thursday night, reports our Sirajganj Correspondent.

On information, police recovered the bombs wrapped in red adhesive tape and hidden in sands around 9:00pm.

Meantime, Ullapara police arrested three JMB members including a madrasa teacher and recovered some Islamic books and leaflets from a Mosque at Kayrarchar village in Ullapara upazila on Thursday night and early yesterday.

The arrestees are Abdul Jalil, 40, a teacher of Bakua Qawmi Madrasa, Ziaur Rahman, 25, of Natore, and Maksud Rahman Masud, 28, of Bogra.

The police said the arrestees took shelter at Kayrarchar mosque for the last two weeks and were preparing to conduct a bomb attack on the Sirajganj court.

RAJSHAHI

Residents of Meherchandi in the city yesterday held five top militants of Hizbut Tawheed, a still ignored fanatic outfit linked to the JMB, when they were distributing leaflets calling for jihad after Juma prayers, reports our staff correspondent in Rajshahi.

Tara Mia of Kalihati in Tangail, Mominul Islam of Mohadevpur in Naogaon, Mizanur Rahman Mintu of Raninagar, Piarul Islam of Talaimari in the city, and Yasin Ali of Charghat upazila -- all in their late 20s -- were handed over to police.

The leaflets read, "Get united, listen to leaders, obey directives, go for Hizrat (migration) and join jihad for establishing Islam in the world."

Hizbut Tawheed, despite having a track record of militancy stretching back to 2003, has been allowed to operate freely.

The arrestees admitted that they were organised in Rajshahi under the leadership of Rabiul Islam of Kajla to collect members and they sometimes work for the JMB.

They said their chief leader is Muhammad Bayazid Khan Panni of Tangail and his deputy is Monwar Hossain.

They claimed their top leaders' networks extend to extremists in India, Pakistan and the United States, and many rich people in Bangladesh fund their cause.

MEHERPUR
Meherpur police yesterday arrested three madrasa students in Kurigram for suspiciously wandering in a local bus stand, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

The police suspect the arrestees -- Imran Khandaker, Shahidul Islam and Fakhrul Islam -- to be JMB activists. They are Dakhil examinees of Panchpeer Aliya Madrasa at Durgapur village in Uilpur upazila in Kurigram.

The arrestees said they came to Kushtia on Wednesday and went to Meherpur yesterday to visit the district.

SYLHET
Police arrested three madrasa students believed to have links to the JMB at a residential hotel in the city in the early hours yesterday, writes our Staff Correspondent in Sylhet.

The arrestees -- Shahjaman, 18, Jobayer, 20, and Nesar Ahmed, 20, of Sunamganj checked in to the hotel with fake identities, police said.

Police seized a VCD player, six VCDs, one phone book and one Islamic book from them. They are students of Dhakadakshin Jamea Islamia Madrasa of Golapganj upazila in Sylhet.

NATORE
Police arrested the bother-in-law of JMB leader Mahtab Khamaru in Basila village under Naldanga Police station on Thursday, UNB reports.

Bagmara police of Rajshahi raided the village and arrested Saiful, suspecting him a JMB cadre.

Khamaru was released a few days ago after he was arrested and since then drives are on to hold him again.

MOULVIBAZAR
Police on Thursday night arrested four people in different villages in Kulaura upazila, suspecting their links to the JMB, writes our Moulvibazar Correspondent.

The arrestees are Najmul Haque Mohsin, Basir Ali and his son Waris Ali, and Mojir Uddin.

This is the first arrest of suspected militants in Moulvibazar since the August 17 serial blasts.

MANIKGANJ
Police arrested four alleged JMB members in Savar, Dhamrai and Manikganj on Thursday night and in the early hours yesterday, our Manikganj Correspondent reports.

Savar police raided the house of retired army officer Ferdaus at Dakkhin Gazirchat around 3:30am and arrested his sons -- Russell alias Jewell and Sohel.

Besides, Dhamrai police arrested Rafiqul Islam, an accused in the August 17 blast case, in Savar, while Manikganj police on Thursday night arrested alleged JMB member Kamrul Islam, 55, at Ranjit Boarding in the town.

MUNSHIGANJ
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and police in separate drives arrested six alleged militants and seized 550 leaflets in Louhajang upazila yesterday, reports UNB.

Police arrested Matin, 24, of Begumganj Banglabazar in Noakhali, Mahe Alam, 25, of Saralabad at Belabo in Narsingdi, and Sajedul, 22, of Dhunot in Bogra as they were distributing the leaflets of Hizbut Tawheed in Haludia around 10:30am.

The leaflets read, "There is no alternative to armed Islamic struggle for establishing Islam."

A police official said the arrestees might have links to the JMB.

The Rab caught three alleged militants -- Tanjil Hossain, 18, of Courtpara, Kushtia, Mashiur Rahman, 38, of Bhanga upazila, Faridpur, and Jahangir Joarder, 18, of Gangni, Meherpur -- in Pashchim Kumarbhog for distributing leaflets around 11:30am.

Police said 30 militants arrived in the area from Dhaka to carry out destructive activities. The police and the Rab are looking for the rest 24 militants.

JMB THREATS
The JMB on Thursday threatened to blow up Khulna Zilla School and kill its teachers and students for not introducing Islamic syllabus, our Staff Correspondent in Khulna adds.

Headmistress Maleka Begum said she had received a hand-written letter sent by the JMB.

Maleka said she sent photocopies of the threat letter to City Mayor Shaikh Tayebur Rahman and KMP Commissioner Khan Saeed Hasan for taking necessary security measures.

Asked, KMP Commissioner Khan Saeed Hasan said he has directed police to take necessary security measures for all academic institutions in the city.

The JMB, Jagrata Muslim Janata, Bangladesh (JMJB) and Harkatul Jihad in a joint letter threatened to blow up the Dakkhinbhagh Union Parishad at Gabtali upazila by December 16 if local government office is not run as per Islamic rules, our Bogra Correspondent reports adds.

The handwritten letter was sent to UP Chairman Nur Alam two days ago, but the news came to light on Thursday.

An Islamic organisation, Muslim Mujahideen Bangladesh, sent a book on jihad to a mosque adjacent to Jhenidah Circuit House on Thursday night, reports our Magura Correspondent.

A handwritten letter asked Imam of the mosque Maolana Abdul Awal to take step so that devotees read the book everyday.

The monogram of the organisation is a pistol and a pen, the Imam added.