Two people, including a local BNP leader, were killed in separate incidents of “gunfights” with the law enforcing agencies’ men in Noakhali and Sirajganj in the early hours of yesterday.
Police said Touhidul Islam Touhid, a former joint convener of BNP’s Sonaimuri upazila unit in Noakhali, was killed in gun battle with police while, Mohammad Bablu, 32, a member of a robbery gang, was killed during a gunfight with Rapid Action Battalion members in Sirajganj, said RAB officials.
Our correspondent, quoting Kamal, brother of Touhid, said he had been arrested near the National Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday. Later, Paltan police station handed him over to Noakhali police station from where he was taken to local police lines. “We were unable to trace him thereafter,” he said.
On the other hand, Anisur Rahman, superintendent of police in Noakhali, told Dhaka Tribune that based on information gleaned from Touhid, police along with the him conducted a raid at his Bhadragaon residence around 4am and recovered a rifle and five bullets.
“When we were returning to the police station, some cohorts of Touhid opened fire on us at Modi village, prompting us to retaliate with shots of more than 40 bullets, leaving Touhid bullet-injured as he went in line of fire to escape during the gunfight,” he said.
Later, doctors at Noakhali Medical College and Hospital declared him dead.
He claimed Touhid, son of Master Nurul Islam, was accused in four cases filed with Sonaimuri police station.
In Sirajganj, Bablu, son of Abdul Wahab of Baoitara village under sadar upazila, was killed as his cohorts allegedly engaged in a gun fight with the team of RAB 12 personnel.
Bablu was the second accused in the Awami League youth and sports secretary Sirajganj sadar upazila unit Saiful Islam killing case.
Ashok Pal, commander of RAB 12, said a team of them conducted a raid at Kato Adda in China project area on information that a gang of robbers were holding a secret meeting. The gang members opened fire as soon as RAB team reached there.
“Bablu was caught in the line of fire during the 20-minute “gunfight” and died on the spot,” he said.
After the gun fight, the gang members fled and the Rab team recovered one Light Gun (LG), one revolver, four cocktails and some sharp weapons from the spot, he said.
Meanwhile, from Ullapara and Belkuchi of the district police arrested Shahdat Hossain Lavlu, 31, convener of upazila unit Chhatra Dal and joint convener of the district unit Rizon Ahmed yesterday. Police said they are accused in three cases.
On the other hand, police arrested a Jamaat leader Sariful Islam Mukul from Kotchandpur of Jhenaidah, who was accused in four cases filed in connection of polls time violence.
In Lakshmipur, police arrested two Shibir men Nasir Uddin and Shafique for their alleged involvement with torching of a Hindu family at Udmara village under the upazila.
