Two suspected drug dealers were killed in a “shootout” with Rapid Action Battalion near the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Feni early yesterday.

The dead were identified as Mamun Morshed, 35, from Gazipur's Tongi, and Al Amin, 25, from the capital's Uttara.

Squadron Leader Shafayat Jamil, a company commander of the district's Rab-7, said the “shootout” took place when a Rab team set up a checkpoint at Charipur area in Sadar upazila and were searching vehicles.

Upon seeing Rab officials, Mamun and Al Amin, who were at the spot, sped the motorcycle they were on to escape. When the law enforcers began chasing them, the two men opened fire. They received bullet wounds when Rab men retaliated, Shafayat claimed.

Mamun and Al Amin were rushed to Feni Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared them dead, Shafayat said, adding that their motorcycle was seized.

Rab claimed it recovered a pistol, five bullets and 24,700 yaba pills from inside the oil tank of the motorcycle.

With these, at least 216 suspected drug dealers and peddlers have been killed since the anti-narcotics drive began on May 4. Most of them were killed in so-called “shootouts” involving police or Rab.