Two alleged drug traders were killed in separate “gunfights” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Kushtia and Narayanganj early today.

Hamidul Islam, 47, who was killed in the alleged gunfight with the elite force members in Kushtia town ’s Milpara area was a leader of a criminal gang locally known as Hamidul-Rashul Bahini, Our Kushtia correspondent reports quoting Rab sources.

Mohaiminur Rashid, commander of Rab-12 in Kushtia, said a team raided Milpara area about 4:00am after receiving information that a group of drug traders were holding a secret meeting there. 

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the criminals opened fire on them forcing the elite force members to retaliate that triggered a “gunfight”, the Rab official said.

After about half an hour of “gunfight”, the criminals managed to flee the scene.

Later, Rab found the bullet-hit body of Hamidul.

Two pistols, 12 bullets and few lethal weapons were recovered from the spot.

Hamidul was accused in dozens of cases including murder and drug trading.

Hamidul’s brother Rashidul was also killed in a “shootout” with Rab in 2007.

Earlier in 2004, Hamidul-Rashul Bahini engaged in a “gun battle” with a joint force team leaving five including a Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) man killed.

In Narayanganj, Md Rikhon Hossain, 36, an alleged drug trader was killed in an alleged gunfight with Rab at Painadi of Siddhirganj on Dhaka-Chittagong highway around 5:30am.

Three elite force members were also injured during the gunfight, Rab sources said.

On information that a big consignment of yaba was going to Dhaka from Chittagong, a team of Rab put two check posts in the area around 4:30am.

Rab members signalled the truck to stop at the check post around 5:00am.

Denying the order, three persons came out of the truck and one of them opened fire on the elite force, prompting them to retaliate, triggering the “gunfight”.

The Rab members found bullet-injured Rikhon when his associates fled the scene.

The injured was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him dead, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.

The elite force recovered 10,000 pieces of yaba, a foreign pistol and cartridges from the spot.