Meanwhile, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel picked up a Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal leader in Narayanganj.

Police arrested those people during the last 24 hours till 6:00am yesterday, said a police headquarters press release.

Sources said members of an intelligence agency continued to grill detained Giasuddin Al Mamun, business partner of former prime minister's son Tarique Zia. However, it could not be known what information the intelligence officials were able to obtain from him.

Rab and members of an agency arrested Mamun at a Naya Paltan flat on Wednesday and since then he is in custody of the intelligence agency. However, no government agencies have yet confirmed his arrest.

The joint forces detained Aftab Uddin, Purbadhala UP chairman and a BNP leader, around 4:00am raiding his house, our Netrakona correspondent reports.

Following his confessional statement, the army-led joint forces recovered a pipe gun, a toy revolver, a toy shot gun and one bullet at his business establishment, police said.

In Narayanganj, Rab arrested Badiuzzaman Badu, 42, president of Bangladesh Hosiery Samity, at his business establishment yesterday, UNB reports.

An intelligence team of Rab picked up Badu, also a local Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal leader, at noon. The reason for his arrest was not known. Badu was undergoing interrogation at the Rab office till late in the evening.

Family sources claimed Badu left active politics after securing release two years ago when the army arrested him during "Operation Clean Heart".

A number of members of the Hosiery Samity said extortion in Nayamati area had nearly stopped since Badu was elected president of the samity.

Our Rangpur correspondent reports: the combined forces arrested 56 alleged criminals and recovered one locally made pistol with one bullet and 11 live bombs from different areas in the district during the last 24 hours.