Ten more suspected drug dealers were killed in separate incidents of “gunfights” in nine districts around the country late Thursday and in the early hours of Friday.
In the past week, around 60 people have been killed in such incidents after law enforcement agencies launched an aggressive campaign against narcotics trade across Bangladesh.
Dhaka
A listed drug dealer named Qamrul was killed in a so-called gunfight between his cohorts and members of Rapid Action Battalion in the capital’s Tejgaon Industrial area early on Friday, according to RAB.
RAB officials said Qamrul, who was wanted in over 15 drugs and arms related cases, was a major drug dealer at Tejgaon rail line slum and Mohakhali’s Sattola slum.
Cumilla
Suspected drug dealer Kamal Hossain Prokash, 51, was killed in a “gunfight” with police at Sholonol union under the district’s Burichang upazila around Thursday midnight, according to the police.
Burichang police station OC Manoj Kumar Dey said they arrested Kamal’s associates Hanif and Elias, and recovered a cartridge, a pipe gun and 50kgs of cannabis from the scene of the incident.
Jhenaidah
Shamim Sardar, 45, a listed drug pusher, was killed in a reported firefight between his cohorts and police at Arpara in the district’s Kaliganj upazila Thursday night, confirmed Kaliganj police OC Mizanur Rahman.
The OC said Shamim was wanted in nine cases.
Cox’s Bazar
Suspected drug dealer Mostak Ahmed was killed in a reported clash between two groups of yaba dealers in Maheshkhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar around 10pm Thursday.
The district’s Additional Superintendent of Police Md Afrazul Haque Tutul said: “Acting on a tip-off, the police arrived at the scene of the gunfight and found Mostak’s body. The other drug dealers had fled.”
Satkhira
Suspected drug peddler Yunus Ali Dalal, 45, was killed in a reported gunfight between two groups of drug dealers at Ramkrishnapur in the district’s Kalaroa upazila in the early hours of on Friday.
Kalaroa police station OC Biplab Kumar Nath said: “Being tipped off that two gangs of drug traders were engaged in a gunfight, a team of police went to the spot and fired five rounds of bullets to control the situation. Later, police found Yunus’s body.”
Sherpur
Azad alias Kalu Dakat, 28, an alleged drug peddler, was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Satpakia area of the district’s Sadar upazila early on Friday.
Sherpur Sadar Circle’s Additional Superintendent of Police Md Aminul Islam said the incident took place around 3am when a team of police conducted a drive in the area.
However, Azad’s family members claimed that police had picked up Azad from home Thursday morning and since then they could not find him.
Netrakona
Two suspected drug peddlers were killed in a reported gunfight with police at Monang in the district’s Sadar upazila early on Friday.
They are yet to be identified, said Netrakona Sadar Circle’s Additional Superintendent of Police Md Fakhruzzaman Jewel.
Mymensingh
Rajon Mia, 30, a suspected drug pusher, was killed in a “gunfight” with Detective Branch (DB) police at the city’s Purohitpara area around 2:30am on Friday, reports Bangla Tribune.
Confirming the incident, Mymensingh DB OC Ashiqur Rahman said Rajon was wanted in five cases.
Gaibandha
Jewel Mia, 47, a drug peddler wanted in at least 12 drugs-related cases, was killed in a “gunfight” with police near Falia Bridge on Gaibandha-Balashi road under the district’s Phulchhari upazila in the wee hours of on Friday.
Confirmed the incident, Sadar police station OC Khan Md Shahriar said two teams of police – one from Sadar and the other from Phulchhari police station – had raided that area from both sides at the same time.
“Sensing police’s presence, the criminals had opened fire. The law enforcers also returned fire in defence,” he claimed.
He said Jewel, with gunshot wounds, was rushed to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital, along with three police injured in the same incident, where doctors declared him dead.
Our Staff Reporter Arifur Rahman Rabbi and correspondents from Cumilla, Jhenidah, Cox’s Bazar, Satkhira, Sherpur, Netrokona and Gaibandha contributed to this report
