Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members killed two alleged fire-bombers as they were hurling petrol bombs in the capital’s Jatrabari area.
Law enforcers kept the bullet-ridden bodies at the morgue of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) but family members were yet to claim the bodies as of filing of this report yesterday night.
Even the identities of the youths aged between 23 and 32 were also unknown.
Two pickets first hurled brick chips at the patrol car of RAB 10 and as the car slowed down they threw petrol bombs and opened fire, said Rumman Mahmud, deputy director of the legal and media wing of RAB.
The incident happened around 3pm.
The RAB members aboard the vehicle opened fire in retaliation and two of them were wounded in the firing, said Rumman adding that critically injured youths were then rushed to the DMCH where doctors declared them dead around 4am.
“The battalion members recovered a firearm, three petrol bombs and eight crude bombs from the spot,” added Rumman.
Visiting the morgue, this correspondent saw the duo, clad in jeans, trousers, jackets and T-shirts, were shot in their chests, abdomen and other parts of their bodies.
In the evening, Sub-Inspector Humayun Kabir of Jatrabari police station held an inquest into the deaths in presence of Executive Magistrate Deeptimayee Zaman.
A total of nine bullet injury marks were found on the bodies of the youths.
In another incident, a bullet-ridden body of a man was found in the capital’s Bhashantek area early yesterday. He was identified as Al-Amin, 24, son of Moazzem of Tilabari in Tangail.
Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Bhashantek police station, said the body was recovered from Bhashantek Balurmath area around 3am.
His cousin Md Billal, a shop owner in Lakshmibazar, said Al-amin remained missing since last Wednesday after his mother sent him to a nearby market.
“His family tried to reach him several times but his phone was switched off. A neighbour accompanied Al-Amin to the market but he is still unaccounted for as well.
“Al-amin’s mother got an anonymous call yesterday evening and the caller told her to receive her son’s body at Dhaka Medical College Hospital,” Billal said.
He also said Al-amin had been trying to go abroad for several years and had no profession.
“I do not know for sure if he involved in politics,” he added.