Farmer dies during RAB raid on ‘armed kidnappers’ in Cox’s Bazar

Three others, including a RAB personnel, were injured in the gunfight

A farmer has been killed and three others, including a RAB personnel, have been injured during a shootout amid a Rapid Action Battalion raid on a ‘criminal ring’ who had kidnapped an NGO worker in Cox’s Bazar Sadar.

The head of the criminal group – Mohammad Farhad aka Shere Farhad – was arrested with a foreign firearm during the operation, according to the elite police force.

The raid took place around 7:30pm on Monday in the Murapara area of Bharuakhali Union, said Lt Col HM Sajjad Hossain, commander of the RAB-15 Cox’s Bazar Battalion.

The deceased was identified as farmer Mohammad Baitullah, 45, from the union’s Chowdhurypara.

The injured were identified as RAB ASI Mohammad Sarwar, Shafi Ullah, 40, and Md Saiman, 20. Shafi Ullah and Saiman also hail from Chowdhurypara.

Detainee Farhad hails from Bharuakhali’s Ghona Para.

RAB said Farhad led a criminal gang in the Union and was accused in seven cases which included charges of murder, kidnapping, robbery, and extortion.

The kidnapping victim was 35-year-old Md Masud Chowdhury, a field worker of the Eidgaon branch of private organisation Prottyashi.

Masud went to Murapara on Monday to collect money for a micro credit loan, said RAB official Sajjad. There, a group of five to six criminals led by Farhad kidnapped him at gunpoint. They held him hostage in the hill area next to Murapara and demanded a ransom.”

“After the incident was reported in the evening, a RAB team launched an operation to rescue the abducted NGO official. Locals took part in the raid alongside RAB personnel. At one point, after the criminals’ hideout in the hilly area was surrounded, they spotted the RAB personnel and opened fire. The RAB team then fired back in self-defence.”

“Three, including a RAB personnel, were injured by their gunfire. They were rescued and taken to the Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital, where the doctor on duty declared one dead.”

After receiving news of the shooting, additional RAB personnel arrived at the scene and conducted a massive operation to arrest those involved. At one point, gang leader Farhad – who had been shot – was arrested while in possession of a shotgun in the hill area. He is now undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital.

NGO official Masud was rescued from the scene afterwards.

RAB official Sajjad said law enforcers are continuing their operation to arrest the other criminals involved in the incident.