Staff Correspondent
On the first day of the countrywide crackdown on militants, arrests of at least 550 people, mostly Jamaat-Shibir men, were made in 11 districts on Friday.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police also nabbed a number of people but the total number of the arrested could not be ascertained immediately.
After the death of police official Babul Akhter's wife, senior police officers led by Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque on Thursday decided to  operate special drives against militants, which will continue for six more days.
Allegations of arresting innocent people were reported from the districts. Family members of the arrested men demanded their immediate release.   
Quoting Sheikh Akbar Ali, Additional Superintendent of Police of Jhenaidah, our correspondent reports that at least 27 people were picked up by law enforcers.
Of them, four men belong to Jamaat of Moheshpur upazila while the remaining detainees are wanted in several criminal cases.
Our Dinajpur correspondent adds that as many as 100 people were arrested in 13 upazilas till noon. Additional Superintendent of Police of Kushtia, Joynal Abedin, said that police arrested 67 people from seven upazilas till noon.
In Satkhira at least 35 people were detained, our correspondent writes.
Our Rajshahi correspondent said that some 34 people had been caught until morning. Of them, 15 are alleged accused in various cases.
SP of Magura Ahsan Ullah said that the police had nabbed 24 people from four upazilas, who are wanted in several cases.
Our Tangail correspondent reported that 68 people were held in 12 upazilas.
Suggan Chakma, ASP (Media) of Sylhet district said that police arrested 51 people. While ADC (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police Rahmat Ullah said 10 people had so far been arrested as part of the countrywide drive against militants.
Meanwhile , our district correspondents report that 27 people were arrested and 40 motorbikes seized in Natore. Some 90 people were held in Rangpur. In Meherpur cops caught 10 people.