Farmer killed in ‘shootout between Rab, robbers’
A farmer was killed allegedly in crossfire during a gunfight between Rapid Action Battalion members and a gang of suspected robbers in Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila last night.
The deceased, Bayet Ullah, 35, hailed from Boro Chowdhury Para in Bharuakhali union.
Masud Chowdhury, an employee of NGO Prottasi, was kidnapped by the "Farhad-Mostaq gang" of Bharuakhali, said Lt Col HM Sazzad Hossain, commanding officer of Rab-15 in Cox's Bazar.
He said Rab members went to Murapara area in Baruakhali union to rescue him last night.
Seeing the law enforcers arrive, the gang opened fire, triggering a gunfight. During the gunfight, Bayet was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot, the official said.
Some villagers were also injured, he said, adding, "Bayet along with other villagers joined the Rab team to drive away the gang. So it's assumed that he was killed by the indiscriminate firing of the gang members."
The abductee Masud was rescued while Farhad was arrested in an injured state during the drive, he said.
He claimed that a Rab personnel was also hurt.
Lt Col Sazzad said Farhad is accused in at least seven cases.
Karim Ullah, a brother of the deceased, blamed the Farhad-Mostaq gang for the murder.
"Farhad's gang has established a reign of terror in our area. Whenever they come to the local bazar, they order everyone to turn off the video camera of their mobile phones," Karim said.
On December 10, 2021, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Rab as well as seven of its current and former officers due to human rights violations.
Since then, deaths of people in incidents of crossfires and shootouts involving law enforcers reduced significantly.
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