One suspected drug trader and two suspected robbers have been killed in separate "gunfights" with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Cox's Bazar and the Sundarbans, respectively.
Both of the incidents occurred in the early hours of Thursday.
In Cox's Bazar, alleged drug trader Belal Hossain, 35, was killed during a gunfight with BGB in Kharangkhali area in Howaikang union under Teknaf upazila.
Belal hailed from Abdullahpur area in Bhabaniganj upazila in Lakshmipur.
Teknaf 2 BGB Commander Lt Col Asaduzzaman Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune: "Around 2pm on Wednesday, we caught Belal Hossain with a huge quantity of yaba while monitoring the Howaikang BGB check-post.
"Based on Belal's confessional statement, a BGB team went on a drive to confiscate another shipment of yaba in Kharangkhali area in the early hours of Thursday," Asaduzzaman said. "Upon reaching the spot, spotting BGB's, Belal's associates started firing at them, forcing BGB to fire back in self-defence."
Belal was injured in the ensuing gunfight. Afterward he was rescued and admitted to the Teknaf Health Complex, where the on-duty doctors declared him dead.
BGB seized 7,000 yaba pills and two locally-made sharp weapons from the spot, Asaduzzaman said.
Teknaf police station Officer-in-Charge Pradip Kumar Das said: "After being informed by BGB, a police team went to the site and sent Belal's shot dead body to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy. A case is being filed at Teknaf police station in connection with this incident."
In the Sundarbans, two robbers belonging to the "Saheb Ali Bahini" gang died in a gunfight with RAB in Kalagachhia Khal; in Sundarban's Satkhira range under Shyamnagar upazila.
Saheb Ali, 35, and Habibul Rahman, 28, both died while receiving treatment for the injuries sustained in the gunfight at Shyamnagar Health Complex on Thursday afternoon, confirmed Shyamnagar police station Officer-in-Charge Habil Hossain.
Lt Col Jahid, commander of RAB 6, said: "Acting on a tip-off, RAB 6 conducted a drive in Kalagachhia Khal. However, upon spotting us, the robbery gang opened fire on us, forcing us to fire back, which triggered the gunfight."
After an hour-long gunfight, the team of the elite force arrested Saheb and Habibul, who were then admitted to Shyamnagar Health Complex with bullet injuries.
RAB recovered a locally made gun, a pipe-gun and 32 rounds of bullets from the spot, Jahid said.
Two constables, Arif and Shakil, also sustained injuries during the gunfight and are currently receiving treatment at the same health complex.
