Law enforcers yesterday arrested three more alleged JMB cadres in three districts, while a half-day hartal was observed in Jhalakathi in protest against the Monday's assassination of two senior assistant judges.

The judges receiving the death threats are Sub Judge-1 of Money Loan Court, Pabna Sharif Mostafa Karim, Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Mohammed Abdus Samad in Khulna, Senior Assistant Judge Ahsan Tarik and Assistant Judge Enayet Kabir in Rajshahi.

AC (Land) Ananda Kumar Biswas and UNO Satendra Kumar Sarkar also received the death threats in Bhola yesterday.

PABNA
The JMB yesterday sent a 'warning letter' to Sub Judge Karim, threatening to blow him to bits if he does not conduct his court proceedings according to shariah, reports Our Pabna Correspondent.

The handwritten letter jointly sent by JMB and outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party's (PBCB) Janajuddha faction termed the judges 'Islam's enemy'.

It reads, "If you do not deliver your verdict according to Islamic shariah, you and your court will be blown up with a remote control bomb."

A black shroud was tagged with the letter sent by the government postal department.

Panicked, the judge informed the matter to the local administration and the superintendent of police through the district judge.

Ignoring the situation, two judges in the district however gave their verdicts yesterday, handing down life term imprisonment on 11 people in separate cases.

KHULNA
In a separate letter, the JMB threatened Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Samad to terminate him.

The judge received the handwritten letter on November 9, but did not disclose it. He yesterday informed the matter to the police commissioner in the wake of the killings of the judges.

This letter says: "The JMB does not believe in laws formulated by humans; those who conduct court proceedings by these laws would be killed for the sake of Islam."

Four policemen have been deployed at the judge's residence and four others are on hand for his personal security.

Besides, police forces have been deployed for the judges of the Court of District and Sessions Judge and Women and Children Repression Prevention Court. But the judges did not get special gunmen.

RAJSHAHI
The Islamist outfit yesterday asked two judges in the district -- Senior Assistant Judge Tarik and Assistant Judge Kabir -- to resign if they want to escape death.

The judges yesterday received the threat letters by post and informed the local police and the administration.

Each of the letters asked the recipient to resign in 15 days; otherwise, they will be killed.

"Join our group and help establish Islam or resign and leave Rajshahi. If you don't, make ready your shroud," the officer-in-charge of Rajpara Police Station quoted from the letters.

Panic gripped the judges and other lawyers as the news spread. Authorities have mobilised additional forces in the court areas.

The letter sent to Judge Kabir says: "We are warning you that we are leaders of the suicide squad of Bangla Bhai and JMB. We want Islamic rule in the country.

"We are alerting you to leave the anti-Islamic occupation and return safely to your home in Bogra. If you don't, we will kill you at your home."

BHOLA
Anonymous callers yesterday threatened UNO Sarkar and AC Biswas in Bhola with death and blowing up their offices, writes Our Barisal Correspondent.

A person called AC Biswas at 10:49am, threatening to blow up his office by November 25. A similar caller gave the same message to UNO Sarkar at 10:53am.

The officials held separate meetings at their offices and discussed measures to ensure their security.

ARRESTS MADE
Police arrested two people including a madrasa student as suspected JMB cadres in Mathbaria and Barisal in the last two days.

Mathbaria police in Pirojpur arrested a boarder from Bismillah Boarding on Tuesday, suspecting his links to the JMB.

The arrestee identified himself as Sahjahan of Fuljhuri in Barguna, but later said he is Ilias alias Sah Alam of Kaliganj in Satkhira.

Police are investigating his real identify.

In Barisal, Kotwali police detained Mizanur Rahman, 18, at a residential boarding hotel, Galib, yesterday.

The arrestee said he is a student of Faizul Ulum Dharmadi Madrasa in the Sadar upazila and hailed from Goria village in Uzirpur upazila, Barisal.

Mizanur claimed he came to Barisal for some personal purpose and had to book in the hotel as he failed to reach his destination on Tuesday night.

Sheikh Zillur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said they are interrogating him and investigating his claims.

Another suspected JMB cadre was picked up on Kurigram District Judge's Court premises yesterday.

Kurigram police arrested Noor Hossain, student of Rangpur Dhap Hazipara Madrasa and son of Bashir Uddin of North Sarkarpar village in Begumganj, Ulipur upazila.

HARTAL OBSERVED
Jhalakathi unit Awami League and its front organisations yesterday enforced a half-day hartal and brought out processions in the town to protest against the assassination of two judges.

The protesters chanted slogans against militants and slammed failure of the government to ensure safety and security of the people.

Earlier, the district and police administration failed to convince the AL leaders to call off the programme.

ARRESTEES REMANDED
Jhalakathi police arrested Sultan Hossain, 38, on Tuesday night for helping the assassin, Mamun, who claimed to be a member of the JMB suicide squad, rent a house in the district.

Sadar upazila Magistrate Sultan Ahmed of Jhalakathi yesterday gave remanded him for seven days. Eleven others arrested on Tuesday were placed on a one-day remand.

CONDOLENCES
Separate condolence and protest meetings were held at the Jhalakathi and Barisal District Judge's Court offices, where the district judges, officials and other staff of the judiciary attended.

Speakers expressed deep concern, condemned the killing and demanded special security for other judges. They also demanded compensations for the families of the slain judges.

Meanwhile, Md Fazlul Karim, registrar, and Md Dalil Uddin, deputy registrar, of the Supreme Court, met the families of the slain judges in Barisal as representatives of Chief Justice JR Mudassir.

MANHUNT
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), army and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) teams are continuing gathering evidence and clues, but could not make major headway in the investigation.

BOMB HOAX IN KHULNA
Police recovered two fake bombs and four JMB leaflets from the Paikgachha Upazila Parishad premises yesterday.

Superintendent of Police Mainul Islam and Officer-in-Charge of Paikgachha Police Station GM Enamul Huq said the fake bombs were planted to create panic.

Security measures were beefed up at all key prints in the upazila following the incident.