2 more 'drug peddlers' killed in 'shootout'

Two suspected drug peddlers were killed in a “gunfight” with Rab at Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar yesterday.

The dead are Hafizur Rahman, 35, of Dhaka's Savar upazila, and Sabbir Hossain, 25, of Bagerhat's Chitalmari upazila.

The “gunfight” took place on Cox's Bazar-Teknaf road in Damdamia area around 3:00am when the law enforcers signaled a lorry -- carrying Hafizur and Sabbir -- to slow down, claimed Shah Alam, company commander of Teknaf Rab-7 camp.

Instead of slowing down, the duo opened fire at Rab members, forcing the Rab members to retaliate. The “gunfight” left the duo dead on the spot, he added.

Two firearms, 11 bullets and 40,000 pieces of yaba tablets were recovered and the lorry was seized from the spot, the law enforcer claimed.

The Daily Star could not independently verify the Rab's claim.

The bodies were sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

With the two, at least 274 suspected drug traders were killed since the law enforcers started “anti-narcotics drives” on May 4, last year.