Law enforcers arrested 3,245 people from different parts of the country on the third day of the anti-militancy and anti-terror drive. Among them, 34 were suspected members of militant groups, according to information disclosed by the Police Headquarters. With yesterday’s arrests, the number of total arrested in three days of crackdown reached 8,532 including 119 suspected militants. Apart from the 34 allleged militants, 2,578 were people wanted on various charges, 19 were accused in arms cases, 160 were facing narcotics-related lawsuits and 454 were fugitives of different cases, said police. During the earlier two days of the drive, 5,324 people were detained across the country. Of them, only 85 were suspected to be members of different militant groups.
64 alleged criminals were arrested and 18 motorcycles seized in Natore, said Rafiqul Islam, assistant superintendent of police in the district. 52 people including eight activists of Jamaat-e-Islami were held in Satkhira, said  Kamal Hossain, a sub-inspector at the office of Satkhira superintendent of police.
32 people including four Jamaat men and an alleged regional chief of the banned Hizb-ut Tahrir were arrested in Chapainawabganj, said Mazharul Islam, officer-in-charge of Chapainawabganj Sadar Police Station. The alleged militant was identified as Omar Faruk, 40. Police recovered a pistol and a bullet from his possession. He is an accused in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque ordered the police officers to conduct special anti-terror drives across the country from last Friday to stop target killings that has created panic among the people, especially minority communities like Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. At least 50 people were killed in 48 incidents committed by different militant groups across the country so far. The police on Thursday decided to launch a combing operation across the country from Friday against militants and extremists. Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) joined the police during the crackdown. The recent killing of Mahmuda Akter Mitu, wife of superintendent of police (SP) Babul Akter, prompted the administration to go in for the combing operation to flush out militants and criminals. The operation is also directed at patrons of the militants and extremists.