Nine die in crossfire in one night of drug raids

The death toll from ongoing drug raids across Bangladesh has continued to rise in a series of incidents RAB and police have described as ‘shootouts’.

Nine people have been killed in the alleged crossfire in five districts between Sunday night and Monday morning. Law enforcers have also recovered various amounts of narcotics and weapons during these raids.

Police and RAB claim that all of the dead are involved in drug trafficking. Some of the dead have been named in drug cases at various police stations.

Four people have been killed in RAB ‘shootouts’ in Tangail, Rajshahi, Narsingdi and Jhenaidah, while two others have been killed in ‘shootouts’ with police in Chuadanga and Tongi. Police say they have also recovered the bullet-ridden bodies of three others killed in a ‘shootout’ between two gangs of drug traffickers in Jashore.

Law enforcers have issues similar statements on each of these incidents. Human rights organisations have described the deaths as ‘extrajudicial killings’ and demanded they be stopped. The government has not responded to these demands.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said law enforcers were conducting special raids to eliminate drug trafficking in Bangladesh supervised by RAB. These raids were similar to the ones conducted against militants, she said.

On May 14, RAB Director General Benazir Ahmed announced at a press conference that the elite security force had started the operations under the instructions of the prime minister. It is also running mobile courts to combat drug trafficking.

On Apr 30, prior to the RAB briefing, Coast Guard Director General Rear Admiral AMMM Aurangzeb Chowdhury announced at a press conference that there is a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on narcotics.

Though their participation has not been announced officially, Detective Branch police, Rail police, local police and the BGB have also conducted anti-drug raids.

Several suspected members of drug trafficking rings have died in alleged shootouts in various parts of the country in the past few days. Six people were killed in such incidents on Sunday morning, four of whom law enforcers described as drug traffickers.

The incidents on Sunday night and Monday morning were reported by our district correspondents:

JASHORE

Police have recovered the bullet-ridden bodies of three suspected drug dealers who they say were killed in two separate gunfights between gangs of drug traffickers.

The incidents occurred around 3:30am on Monday morning in the suburb’s Sheikhhati and Kholadanga areas, said Jashore Kotowali Police Station OC AKM Azmal Huda.

Police have not identified the dead, but yaba was found on both sites and the three are believed to be involved in the drug trade, said OC Huda.

Police were dispatched to the Sheikhhati and Kholadanga areas after reports of gang shootouts, he said.

Two dead bodies and 400 yaba tablets were found in the Nawab Ali Date Garden area of Sheikhhati, he said.

Another body and 100 yaba tablets were found at a field in Kholadanga, he added. Two pistols and bullet casings were recovered from the two scenes, the Kotowali Police Station chief said.

According to Jessore Hospital Emergency Division doctor Kallol Kumar Saha, Kotowali Police Station Deputy Inspector Tarun Kumar brought a body and Jassore ASI Abdur Rahim brought two others to the hospital around 4:05am. They were dead by the time they arrived.

The bodies had been hit in the head by bullets, making them difficult to identify, he said.

TANGAIL

A suspect in several cases has been killed in an alleged shootout with RAB in Tangail.

The incident occurred near a brick field by the highway in Ghatail’s Deulabari area, said RAB-12 Captain Abdul Ahad.

The RAB team conducted a raid in the area after receiving a tip regarding a ‘large drug shipment’, he said.

“The drug traffickers opened fire when they noticed the team and RAB were forced to retaliate. The traffickers fled after a 10-15 minute gunfight and RAB found one person wounded by bullets at the scene.”

He was taken to a local hospital, where doctors declared him dead, the RAB official said.

According to RAB-12 CPC-3 Company Commander Rabiul Isla, the deceased, Abul Kalam Azad Khan, 42, had been accused in six cases, including drug trafficking.

A pistol, three rounds of bullets, a magazine, 100 bottles of Phensedyl, 1,500 yaba tablets and various drug paraphernalia was recovered from the scene.

RAJSHAHI

One person has been killed in an alleged shootout with RAB during an anti-drug raid.

The deceased, Liakat Ali Mandal, is a ‘known drug dealer’ and had been accused in seven drug cases, said RAB-5 Deputy Vice Captain Major Ashraful Islam.

RAB was involved in a gunfight with drug traffickers in the Khudra Jamira area of Belpukur around 12:30am on Monday morning, he said.

“The drug traffickers fired on a RAB patrol team and they returned fire. Liakat, attempting to flee on a motorcycle, was caught in the crossfire. The others fled.”

Liakat’s body was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

RAB have recovered 823 yaba tablets, two rounds of ammunition, a pistol and a motorcycle from the scene.

TONGI

A drug dealer has been killed and two police personnel were injured in an alleged shootout in Tongi.

The deceased has been identified as Rezaul Islam Rony, 27.

The injured are Tongi Police Station ASI Md Omor Farooq and ASI Md Anwar Hossain.

Police raided Tongi’s Nimtoli Maath area based on a tip that drugs were being bought and sold there, said Tongi Police Station OC Md Kamal Hossain.

The drug dealers began shooting at the police team and police retaliated. Rony was shot in the crossfire while the others fled.

Two police personnel were injured in the gun battle.

Rony was taken to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Rony has been accused in 14 drug cases at Tongi Police Station.

JHENAIDAH

Sabdul Islam Mandal, a suspected drug trafficker, has been killed in a RAB ‘shootout’ at Kaliganj’s Narendrapur in Jhenaidah earlyMonday, said Assistant Superintendent of Police and Acting Commander of RAB-6 Jhenaidah camp Golam Morshed.

He said a RAB patrol team set up a checkpoint at a three-way intersection based on a tip and asked Sabdul and his associates to stop when they were passing the checkpoint by motorbike at1:35am.

“But the drug traffickers refused to stop and opened fire on the RAB team. The RAB retaliated. The drug traffickers fled the scene after minutes of crossfire and Sabdul was found shot.”

He was declared dead upon being taken to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex, said RAB official Morshed.

A pistol, two rounds of bullets, 100 bottles of Phensedyl, 150 yaba tablets and a helmet have been recovered from the scene, he said.

At least three RAB members have been injured in the incident who received fist aid at Kaliganj Hospital.

Mizanur Rahman, chief of Kaliganj Police Station, said the bodies of those killed in the ‘shootout’ were sent to Jhenaidah Central Hospital Morgue for autopsy.

CHUADANGA

A person accused in a drug case has been killed in a ‘shootout’ with police in Chuadanga’s Jibonnagar.

The ‘crossfire’ took place in Utholi village on Sunday morning, said Officer in Charge of Jibannagar Police Station Mahmudur Rahman. 

He said the police were on a drive to arrest Jonab Ali, who was named in number of cases filed under the narcotics control law.

“Jonab Ali opened fired at police when they reached Sanyasitala in Jibannagar and police retaliated in self-defence.”

Jonab Ali was shot dead by the police.

Police recovered a gun, two rounds of bullets, three sharp weapons and a bag full of Phensedyl from the scene, said the OC.

NARSHINGDI

Police say one person has been killed in RAB ‘crossfire’ at Ghorashal in Narsingdi.

Officer in Charge of Palash Police Station Md Saidur Rahman said the deceased Iman Ali was a known drug trafficker and named in several criminal cases, including homicide.

“The so-called drug king Iman Ali has been shot during a shootout with RAB-11 at Khalishartek adjacent to Ghorashal Bridge Toll Plaza early this morning,” the police official told bdnews24.com.

He was declared dead when taken to Palash Police Station Health Complex, the OC said.

RAB said it recovered weapons from the scene but did not provide further detail.

Company Commander RAB-11 Md Jasim said all details would be provided at a press briefing later.