The amiable former Islamic teacher says he and his thousands of followers want to rid Bangladesh of bloodthirsty leftist rebels and gangsters but authorities say the man is a dangerous fanatic. Bangla Bhai, a bearded Muslim in his early 30's, who some reports say was a follower of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, has risen from nowhere to become one of Bangladesh's most notorious men in a matter of months. Originally Bangla Bhai -- a nickname meaning Brother of the Bangladeshi people -- and his followers were welcomed and quietly supported by police, who have for decades been unable to eradicate the rebels. But police soon realised he was out of control and dangerous.

"We really don't know what to do with him. He seems powerful, having drawn some political blessings as well. Many people see him as a saviour," said a police officer in the country's north.

Leftist rebel groups such as Purba Banglar Communist Party and Sarbahara Party (Party of the Have-nots) have for years portrayed themselves as fighters for the downtrodden but in reality they mostly rob people and raid police stations for weapons.

They have killed hundreds since the 1980s, police say.

Frustration with the rebels and the inability of the police to tackle them has no doubt contributed to the meteoric rise of Bangla Bhai.

"Failure to maintain law and order, poverty and unequal distribution of power are the main reasons behind his rise," said Robbaet Ferdous, assistant professor of mass communications and journalism at Dhaka University."

Bangla Bhai was also satisfying some people's demand for what they see as quick justice, a former top policeman said.

"Victims want immediate revenge. They dislike seeking help of the law that moves very slowly and also does not hold a promise for appropriate action," said former Inspector-General of Police, Mesbah Uddin.

Bangla Bhai, who has a reputation for being friendly, was born in the northern district of Bogra. Police say his original name was Siddiqul Islam.

The one-time Muslim cleric and teacher at a Madrassa (Islamic school) proclaims himself a crusader and soldier of Islam and boats of 20,000 armed cadres and many more followers ready to risk their lives at his call.

His group is called Jagrata Muslim Janata (Awakened Muslim People) and members, armed with guns and swords, roam the countryside, storming people's homes and markets to collect money and food and striking fear into the hearts of villagers.

"Some people think Bangla Bhai is a Robin Hood. But I think he is a terrorist," U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Harry K. Thomas recently told reporters.

Though his men have killed only five people and abducted a dozen or so, they have established a reign of terror, torturing men and women in village after village, police say.

"He is a living nightmare to anyone who had seen him or his men in action. They are ruthless and merciless," said a journalist who has been tracking Bangla Bhai.

Such is the concern among authorities that Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia recently ordered police to hunt him down.

But police say he is on the run and they can't find. Some analysts suspect a shadowy hand of political influence is helping him avoid arrest.

"Police often refrain from discharging professional duties due to their loyalty or bias toward political parties," said Abdul Hakim Sarker, professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research in Dhaka.

Before recently going into hiding Bangla Bhai told several reporters he had worked in Afghanistan with bin Laden's al Qaeda.

Some reports have said Bangla Bhai was one of 40 Bangladeshis who used to serve bin Laden in Afghanistan and he now uses al Qaeda videos to train his followers.

Police and villagers in western Naogan district recently dug up the body of a suspected outlaw -- cut into pieces and buried at a place Bangla Bhai once used as a training camp.

His men recently strung up two people from trees and left their bodies hanging. Others were left dead on a road.

"It seems we're living in mediaeval times," said an official in Rajshahi, 275 km (172 miles) northwest of the capital Dhaka.

Thousands of his militant cadres staged a unprecedented rally in Rajshahi recently and vowed "to clean Bangladesh of all underground extremists".

Police stood by and did nothing, witnesses said.

--Reuters