Eight more drug traders' killed in gunfights

Eight suspected drug traders were killed in separate ‘gunfights’ with law enforcers in Chuadanga, Rajshahi, Narsingdi, Jhenidah, Tangail and Jashore districts early Monday.

With the latest ones, a total of 28 people were killed in ‘gunfights’ across the country since May 12.

In Chuadanga, Jonab Ali, 32, son of Jamat Ali, a resident of Uthali village in Jibannagar upazila and a listed drug trader was killed in a reported gunfight with police around 12:45am.

Mahmud Hossain, officer-in-charge of Jibannagar Police Station, said when a patrol team of police reached in an area adjacent to a field, a gang of drug traders numbering 10/12 opened fire on police, prompting them to retaliate, triggering the gunfight.

At one stage, when the gang members fled the scene, they recovered the body of Jonab from the spot.

Sub-inspector Milon, two constables Walid Rahman and Jewel Hossain were also injured in the gunfight.

Police recovered a short-gun, two cartridges, three machetes and a sack of Phensidyl from the spot.

In Rahshahi, a listed drug trader Liakat Ali Mandal, 40, accused in seven drug cases, hailing from Namajgram village in Puthia upazila was killed in a reported gufight with members of Rapid Action Battalion in Khurdo Jamira area under Belpukur thana of the city around 12:30am.

Major Asraful Islam, deputy commanding officer of Rab-5, said a gang of drug traders attacked a patrol team of Rab and opened fire on them, prompting them to retaliate, triggering the gunfight.

Liakat received bullet when he tried to flee the scene riding on a motorcycle and died on the spot.

Later, the elite force recovered 823 pieces of Yaba tablets, a foreign pistol with two round bullets and the motorcycle.

In Narsingdi, a listed drug trader, Iman Ali, a resident of Kauria para of the district town, was killed in a reported gunfight with members of Rapid Action Battalion in Ghorashal toll plaza area of Palash upazila around 4am.

Company Commander Jasim Uddin confirmed the incident adding that two Rab members were also injured.

In Jhenidah, a suspected drug trader Mohammad Sabdul Islam, 45, son of late Mohammad Ali, was killed in a reported gunfight with Rab around 1:30am.

Rab sources said that a team of elite force set up a checkpost in the area as part of regular patrol.

They signaled a motorcycle while it was passong by the checkpost.

Ignoring the signal, the rider opened fire on the elite force, prompting them to retaliate, triggering the gunfight, which left Sabdul dead on the spot.

They also recovered 1 pistol, two bullets, 1 magzine, 100 bottles of Phensidyl and cash Tk 1100.

In Tangail, a suspected drug trader Abul Kalam Azad Khan, 42, son of late Abdur Rahman Khan, a resident of Purbo Pakutia of Ghatail upazila, and also accused in five cases, was killed in a so-called gunfight with members of Rapid Action battalion in a brick field area of Deula Bari around 12am.

The elite force recovered a foreign pistol, three bullets, 1 magazine, 100 bottles of Phensidyl and 1500 pieces of Yaba tablets from the spot, said Rabiul Alam, commander of CPC-3 of Rab-12.

Besides, assistant sub-inspector Hamidul Islam and Nayek Anisur Rahman were injured in the gunfight.

In Jashore, police recovered three bullet-hit bodies of suspected drug traders from Kholadanga and Taraf Noapara area around 2am.

AKM Azmal Huda, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said the drug traders were killed in separate gunfights between two groups of drug traders.

Police also recovered arms, Phensidyl and Yaba from the spots.

Source: unb