They have resumed their activities taking the advantage of the wet season, when shoals remain unconnected with the mainland and become inaccessible for law enforcers, local people said.

Cadres of PBCP (ML/Red Flag) had gone into hiding as police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) intensified their anti-crime drive in the shoal areas, much to the relief of local people. Their return to dens in the area have again created panic.

Besides, outlaws are collecting tolls regularly from shopkeepers and traders in all small and big markers including Beguntal and Sat Ani Bazar under Hugra union in Sadar upazila.

In some shoal areas, locals said they themselves have organised patrol teams with youths to guard villages at night. But the unarmed youths feel helpless as outlaws carry sophisticated weapons.

Panic has spread also in Tangail town as an organised gangs of miscreants are giving abduction or death threats over cell phones in name of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) and Sarbohara Party for toll, sources said. Even doctors, lawyers, service holders and NGO officials are not spared.

Several people in the town told this correspondent that the outlaws demanded tolls varying from Tk 50,000 to Tk one lakh from them in the name of treatment of party men injured in gunfight with police. They threatened of picking up young females or children of their families for non-compliance.

But outlaws denied their involvement in such incidents. An anonymous caller identifying himself as a leader of PBCP told Tangail Press Club recently that none of their activists are involved in toll collection or giving threat. Some miscreants and extortionists are using the name of their party, he said.

Tangail Superindent of Police (SP) Mirza Abdullah-hel-Baki acknowledged that he also got reports of such threat. He said he advised people not to be panicked and to remain cautious.

"We are investigating the matter", the SP added.