Five more killed in 'gunfights'

Two alleged drug peddlers and three suspected robbers were killed in three separate “gunfights” with members of Border Guard Bangladesh and police in Cox's Bazar and Munshiganj yesterday.

According to BGB Battalion-2 Commanding Officer Lt Col Asadud Zaman Chowdhury, two alleged drug peddlers -- Abdul Shukkur, 50, and Mohammad Ilias, 25, of Teknaf – engaged in a “gunfight” with BGB men in Teknaf's Sabrang area.

The incident happened around 3:30am after BGB men took position in the area on information that a large consignment of yaba pills were about to be smuggled via Sabrang, he claimed.

Sensing presence of the BGB men, the criminals attacked them, forcing them to retaliate, the Lt Col added.

Shukkur and Ilias sustained bullet injuries during the “gunfight”. Later, doctors declared them dead after they were taken to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex, the BGB official added.

BGB also claimed to have recovered 100,000 pieces of yaba pills and a firearm from the spot.

A BGB man was also injured during the “gunfight”, the official added.

With the two alleged drug peddlers, at least 307 people have been killed, mostly in “gunfights” with members of Rab and police, since the anti-narcotics drive started in May last year.

In a similar incident with Teknaf police, two suspected robbers -- Nazir Ahmed, 30, Gias Uddin, 35 -- were killed around 4:00am yesterday.

Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, claimed they conducted a drive in Howaikang area of the upazila on information that a group of robbers was attempting to carry out the robbery in Nayapara Battali area.

Sensing police presence, the suspected robbers opened fire, forcing them to retaliate, he added.

Police claimed they recovered three firearms, 6,000 yaba tablets and nine bullets from the spot.

On the other hand, family members of Gias alleged that police arrested him a few days ago. Asked, the OC denied the allegation.

In Munshiganj's Sirajdikhan upazila, a suspected robber -- Selim, 42, of Sonakanda in Dhaka's Keraniganj -- was killed in a similar incident that police say was a “gunfight”.

Asaduzzaman, additional superintendent of Munshiganj police, claimed the incident happened around 11:00am yesterday when police and a group of robber engaged in a “gunfight”.