5 people, including Rohingya killed in Cox's Bazar, Dhaka ‘gunfights’

Two alleged drug dealers, two robbers and a criminal were killed in what law enforcers described as gunfights in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar.

In Dhaka, an alleged criminal was killed in Bhashantek last midnight. Deceased Shafik, 42, was identified as a top criminal of Narsingdi.

He was wanted in at least 12 cases including murder, said Lt Col Kazi Shamsher Uddin, commanding officer of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab)-11.

Rab raided Bhashantek to nab Shafik last midnight when his associates opened gunfire. Rab men also retaliated with equal, triggering a gunfight, he said.

Shafik was later found lying at the spot and declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 1:30am, he added. Two of his associates -- Faruk and Pradip -- were held with three firearms and bullets from the spot.

A Rab officials also sustained injuries in the gunfight, he added.

In Cox's Bazar, two alleged drug traders of Rohingya origin were killed in an alleged gunfight with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Kharangkhali, Teknaf upazila.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Ilias, 18, of Kutupalong camp and Md Faruk Mia of Balukhali camp.

They had maintained active connection with Myanmar since they came to the Bangladesh camps, BGB sources said.

BGB said one of their patrol teams stopped the two Rohingya men who entered Bangladesh through the Kharangkhali border early today.

"The Rohingya men suddenly attacked the BGB team with local arms, triggering a gunfight," said Shariful Islam Jamaddar, acting commanding officer of BGB-2.

"Two of the men were killed on the spot," he said, adding that 1.9 lakh Yaba pills were recovered from the spot.

The bodies were later handed over to Teknaf police.

In Pekua, two suspected robbers were killed in an alleged "gunfight" with Rab at Magnama coastal area around 4:30am.

Rab-7 said its team raided the area after being tipped off that a group of criminals was preparing for robbery.

"The pirates opened fire as soon as the Rab team reached the spot, triggering a gunfight," said Mehedi Hasan, company commander of Rab-7.

Bodies of the two alleged robbers were recovered and sent to a local hospital for autopsy. Rab also seized eight firearms and 26 bullets from the spot.

Source: thedailystar