'Gunfights' leave 3 dead in two dists
Two suspected forest bandits and an alleged drug peddler were killed in two separate “gunfights” with Rab and BGB men in Satkhira and Cox's Bazar yesterday.
According to Lt Commander AMM Zahidul Kabir of Rab-6, on information, they conducted a drive in Kolagachhia area of Satkhira's Shyamnagar upazila around 9:30am to detain the members of Shaheb Bahini, an infamous forest bandits' gang in the area.
Sensing presence of Rab, the criminals opened fire on them, forcing them to retaliate, he added.
Although other members of the forest bandits managed to flee, two members -- Shaheb Ali, 35, chief of the gang, and Habibur Rahman, 28, second-in-command of the gang -- sustained bullet injuries during the hour-long “gunfight”, the Rab official claimed.
Later, on duty doctors of Shyamnagar Health Complex declared the duo dead, Lt Commander Zahidul claimed, adding that two Rab members -- Arif Hossain, 27, and Shakil Ahmed, 28 -- were also injured during the gunfight.
Rab claimed to have recovered two firearms and 32 bullets from the spot.
Hobil Hossain, officer-in-charge of Shyamnagar Police Station, said the bodies were sent to Satkhira Sadar Hospital for autopsies.
Elsewhere, an alleged drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with members of Border Guard Bangladesh in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar yesterday.
The deceased is Billal Hossain, 38, of Laxmipur's Abdullahpur.
Lt Col Asadud Zaman, captain of BGB battalion in Teknaf, claimed that the members of the paramilitary force raided sluice gate-3 area in Hoaikong union of Teknaf on information that a huge number of yaba pills were about to be smuggled.
As the BGB men reached the area, smugglers attacked them with sharp weapons and guns, forcing them to retaliate, Asadud claimed, adding that Billal sustained bullet injuries during the gunfight.
Later, doctors declared Billal dead when he was taken to Teknaf Health Complex.
BGB also claimed to have recovered some 7,000 yaba pills and two sharp weapons from the spot.
Prodip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, said the body was sent to Cox's Sadar Hospital for autopsy.
The Daily Star, however, could not verify the law enforcers' and BGB's claim independently.
Our Cox's Bazar and Satkhira correspondents contributed to this report.
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