‘Drug peddler’ killed in gunfight in Dhaka

An alleged drug peddler was killed in a reported gunfight in Dhaka’s Agargaon area during the wee hours of today.

Deceased was Ashraf Ali, 35, was accused in seven to eight drug-related cases filed with different police stations, Lt Col Ashique Billah, commanding officer of Rapid Action Battalion-2 (Rab) in Dhaka, told The Daily Star.

Following a lead that a consignment of contraband phensidyl syrup was being smuggled into Dhaka from Chuadanga, Rab had beefed up surveillance in the city, he said.

A private car tried to dodge a checkpost at Gabtoli leading Rab men to give it a chase around 2:00am. At one stage, the vehicle crashed into a road divider in front of Bangladesh Copyright Office, he said.

Rab claimed that they had to exchange gunfire as the armed drug peddlers opened fire targeting the law enforces when they tried to nab them.

The armed exchange left Ashraf injured while two others including the driver managed to flee the scene. He was declared dead after taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.

A total of 500 bottles of phensidyls, a pistol and four bullets were recovered from the car.