Two drug suspects killed in Cox’s Bazar shootout

Two suspected drug dealers have been killed in an alleged shootout with RAB in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf Upazila.

The shootout took place on Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf road in the Damdamia area in Hila union on early Tuesday, said ASP Shah Alam, company commander of Teknaf RAB-7 camp.

The dead have been identified as 25-year-old Sabbir Hossain, a resident of Bagerhat, and 35-year-old Hafizur Rahman, a resident of Savar Upazila in Dhaka.

“A RAB team signalled a Cox’s Bazar-bound covered van to stop at the Damdamia checkpoint. But the order was ignored and those inside opened fire on the team. A gunfight ensued after RAB retaliated,” Alam said.   

“Two of them were found wounded after the gunfight. They were rushed to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead.”

The vehicle was seized, Alam said. As many as 40,000 yaba tablets, a pistol, a shotgun and 11 bullets were recovered from the van.

“Both of them were involved in drug dealing and named in several drug-related cases in Dhaka and Bagerhat.”

The bodies were taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsies, Alam said.