Five killed in ‘shootouts’ in three districts

Five people—two in Dhaka, two in Cox’s Bazar and one in Pabna—have been killed in ‘shootouts’ during anti-drug raids across the country.

RAB claimed that two were robbery suspects, two were involved in drug dealing and the fifth was an alleged leader of an outlawed group.

The deaths of alleged drug dealers have been reported almost every day since law-enforcement agencies began a crackdown on drugs in May.

About 250 people have been killed in ‘shootouts’ since then.

The two robbery suspects who died in Dhaka’s Rayer Bazar area were yet to be identified, said Mizanur Rahman, assistant director of the RAB Headquarters.

On Tuesday morning, RAB raided the area after hearing that several drug dealers had gathered there.

“Sensing the presence of the team, they opened fire on them and the RAB members fired back, triggering the gunfight. Two persons were injured during the gunfight," said Rahman.

The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared them dead, he said.

Three pistols, bullets and sharp weapons were recovered from the scene.

Another two men who died in Cox's Bazar’s Ukhiya was identified as Abdus Samad, 27, from Chattogram’s Sitakunda, and Md Abu Hanif, 30, from Jashore’s Abhaynagar.

The gunfight took place on Mariccha Bazar Road on Tuesday, said RAB-7 Cox's Bazar Camp Company Commander Major Md Mehedi Hassan.

Both of them were ‘known drug dealers’ and named in several drug cases, he said.

A RAB team was checking vehicles at its temporary checkpoint in Mariccha Bazar area when a truck coming from Teknaf tried to flee the post opening fire on the RAB team.

“RAB retaliated, injuring two persons in the truck,” said Hassan.

The bodies were taken to the Cox’s Bazar Central Hospital morgue for autopsy.

The RAB recovered 130,000 yaba pills, a foreign pistol, a local gun and eight rounds of bullets from the truck.

The man who died in Pabna’s Atghoria Upazila was identified as Kurban Ali, 30, from the Upazila’s Jatrapur village. He was a son of Kiam Uddin alias Adur.

The ‘shootout’ took place in Laxmipur Union’s Koijuri village early Tuesday, said Masud Rana, chief of Ataikula police station.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided the area. Sensing the presence of the police, extremists opened fire on them. RAB also retaliated.

At one stage, a person suffered bullet injuries. He was taken to Pabna Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

RAB claimed that Kurban Ali was a regional leader of the outlawed Nakshal Bahini.

A revolver, four rounds of bullets and 20 yaba pills and a motorcycle were recovered from the scene. Four policemen also suffered injuries in the gunfight.