They include a former lawmaker and public representatives of municipality and Union Parishads, according to law enforcers and administration officials.

Houses of some of them were raided since promulgation of emergency, the sources said.

Talking to this correspondent, Patuakhali Deputy Commissioner AGM Mir Moshiur Alam said, "We sent a list of hiding public representatives to higher authorities for necessary action".

Former BNP lawmaker from Patuakhali-2 (Baufal) Shahidul Alam Talukder is evading arrest in connection with two cases including an arms case. Joint forces raided his Baufal residence on January 16 and recovered two magazines of a pistol and some relief goods.

A court in Patuakhali asked Shahidul to surrender before it but he is yet to be appear before it. Charges will be framed in the case against Shahidul on June 11, Public Prosecutor (PP) Yunus Ali Mollah told this correspondent.

Joint forces have meanwhile arrested district Jubo Dal president Moshiur Rahman; Angaria UP chairman and BNP leader Golam Mortuza Sukkur; Altaf's former PS (personal secretary) and Mirzagonj BNP leader Khandaker Monirul Alam, Sadar BNP organising secretary and Kamlapur Union Parishad chairman Monir Rahman and Baufal upazilia Jubo Dal secretary Gious Uddin.

Of them, Moshiur Rahman and Monir Rahman are facing two cases each. Sukkur and Monirul Alam are facing one case each. Sukkur, Monir Rahman and Monirul Alam are on bail.

Altaf's younger brothers and BNP leaders Babul Chowdhury and Shahin Chowdhury face two cases each.

Patuakhali municipality chairman and district BNP leader Mostaq Ahmed Pinu faces three cases including two for corruption.

Dumki upazila Jubo Dal president Saiful Alam Mridha, another former PS to Altaf Hossain Khalilur Rahman, district Krishak Dal president ASM Rab, Patuakhali pourasabha commissioners Mostafizur Rahman Rumi and Akhtaruzzaman Nobel and Jubo Dal cadres Maksudur Rahman and Jibon face one case each, police sources said.

Patuakhali district BNP secretary Snehangsu Sarkar Kutti is on law enforcers' list of 'godfathers', they said.

There are allegations of toll collection, tender scam and other irregularities against them, the sources claimed.

Tuhin, a BCL leader of Mirzagonj was killed allegedly by the former minister's cadres, according to a written complaint submitted to the joint forces by Mirzaganj upazila Awami League president Moklesur Rahman.

It is widely alleged that Babul and Shahin distributed all development works among party men.

Some BNP cadres stopped construction work of the World Bank (WB) assisted Patuakhali central bus terminal on February 20, 2004 as the firm did not pay them Tk 25 lakh toll. The cadres also demanded Tk two crore from the contractor of Patuakhali-Kuakata road rehabilitation project involving a cost of Tk 45 crore.

The firm stopped work and left the area on June 30 last year leaving 22 km of the 72 km Kalapara-Kuakata road project unfinished in view of demands for toll, sources claimed.

A four -member ACC (Anti Corruption Commission) team visited Patuakhali on May 30 and 31 to probe alleged corruption and irregularities by Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and his men.

The team led by ACC Deputy Director Fanafillah videoed all movable and immovable property of Altaf in Patuakhali town and his Kathaltali village home in Mirzaganj upazila, according to law enforces.

The team measured Altaf's Patuakhali residence at Circuit House Road and estimated the value of it and other property there.

"We will file case against all who were involved in corruption," an official of ACC said seeking anonymity.

Earlier on the night of May 28, joint forces raided Altaf's houses in Patuakhali town and at Kathaltali and seized two firearms, 99 bullets and some relief goods.

The district council built a guesthouse on the compound of Altaf's Kathaltali village home at a cost about Tk 67 lakh in 2003-2004 financial year when he was commerce minister. As per rule such a district council guesthouse has to be built at district or upazila headquarters, sources said.

Air Vice-marshal (Rtd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury was elected from Patuakhali-1 (Sadar, Mirzagonj and Dumki) constituency in 2001.