An army soldier was killed in an exchange of fire between joint forces and an armed human trafficking gang during an operation to rescue hostages in Rongikhali hills of Teknaf upazila, Cox’s Bazar, on Thursday.
Acting on intelligence, a joint team comprising members of the Bangladesh Army’s 10 Infantry Division, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and local police launched the operation at around 5pm on November 5.
According to an ISPR, an armed gang of 15–16 members had held approximately 120 Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals hostage in the remote hilly area.
The gang members opened fire after sensing the presence of the joint forces, triggering an exchange of gunfire between the 2 sides.
During the exchange, Army soldier Md Titas Sheikh, 27, was shot in the left shoulder and sustained severe blood loss.
He was rescued and given initial treatment at a nearby hospital before being transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Ramu for advanced treatment, where the attending physician declared him dead.
During the operation, the joint forces recovered 1 pistol, 1 locally made firearm and 4 rounds of ammunition. They also detained 5 suspected members of the gang and rescued 57 hostages.
The Bangladesh Army expressed deep condolences to the deceased soldier’s family and paid tribute to his sacrifice while performing his duties.