At least eleven people have been killed in seven districts across the country in alleged shootouts amidst the war on drugs conducted by Bangladesh’s security forces.
Two people were killed overnight in Cumilla, two in Dinajpur, and one each in Pabna, Thakurgaon, Chandpur, Mymensingh, Joypurhat, Feni and Barguna.
Police claim that the fatalities and injuries in Feni and Barguna and in Dinajpur took place during shootouts amongst rival gangs of drug traffickers.
Law enforcers claim that two people in Cumilla, and the casualties in Mymensingh, Pabna, Thakurgaon, and Chandpur were killed in shootouts with police, while one person in Joypurhat and another in Dinajpur were killed in gunfights against RAB.
Security forces say all of the dead were involved with drug trafficking and that some of them had been accused in multiple cases.
At least 65 people have been killed across the country since the recent anti-drug raids began on May 19.
Security forces reports on these ‘shootouts’ have been largely similar. They claim that the casualties occur in crossfire after drug traffickers instigate gunfights with law enforcers.
However, the families of several of the dead have claimed that security forces detain the victims and then execute them.
Human rights organisations have described the incidents of crossfire as ‘extrajudicial killings’ and called on the government to end them.
Some activists acknowledge the problems of drug trafficking, but claim law enforcement’s handling of these cases raises suspicion and is cause for concern.
The government has said that no one involved with drug trafficking will be spared, regardless of their position.
Cumilla
At least two people have been killed in an alleged shootout with police in Cumilla.
The dead have been identified as 40-year-old Babul and 36-year-old Almas, residents of Ashabari and Tetabhumi village in Brahmanbaria’s Brahmanpara Upazila.
Brahmanpara police chief Sayeed Abu Mohammad Shahjahan Kabir said, a gang of drug traffickers, including Babul and Almas, opened fire on a police team on an anti-drug raid in the Bagra area around 1:30am on Saturday.
“Police fired 16 rounds of ammunitions for self-defence. Babul and Almas were shot and critically injured during the gunfight. They died on their way to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.”
Babul was accused in 16 narcotics cases while Almas was named in eight, the OC said, adding that police recovered 40kg marijuana and a pistol from the scene.
Feni
Police have recovered the bullet-ridden body of 50-year-old Kabir Hossain from the Ruhitia area in Feni.
Hossain was the son of Abdul Khalek Betu, who hailed from Dhonikunda village under Parshuram Upazila.
He was killed in a shootout among robbers over their share of loot, police said.
Feni Model Police Officer-in-Charge Rashed Khan Chowdhury said a police team went to the Ruhitia Brickfield area in Kajirbag Union after being informed of the gunfight. As soon as police arrived, the other robbers fled from the scene, leaving behind a wounded Kabir. He was rushed to Feni Sadar Hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.
OC Chowdhury said Kabir was named in at least 10 cases for robbery and drug trafficking.
Chandpur
Babul, 35, who was accused in five narcotics cases, has been killed in an alleged shootout with police in Chandpur’s Kachua Upazila.
He was the son of Sultan Mia from Banra village of Ashrafpur Union, police said.
Detective branch police and local police conducted an operation in Babul’s house at around 3.00 a.m. on Saturday, Kachua Police Station OC Syed Mahbubur Rahman. Babul opened fire on them, he said.
“Babul was shot when police returned fire. He was rushed to Kachua Upazila Medical Centre where the doctors declared him dead.”
Police recovered 110 Yaba pills from Babul’s house, the OC said.
Joypurhat
A drug-dealer named Rentu Miah, 34, has been killed in a ‘shootout’ involving RAB during an anti-drug raid in Panchbibi Upazila of Joypurhat. The deceased Rentu hailed from the village of North Gopalpur.
“Rentu is a top drug-dealer named in the district’s list of drug-dealers. He has been trafficking Phensedyl, yaba and other narcotics into Joypurhat district and other parts of the country,” said Additional Police Superintendent and Joypurhat RAB camp commander Shamim Hossain.
“RAB nabbed him from the Indian border area adjacent to Panchbibi and took him on a drug raid to Bheempur when his accomplices fired at RAB. Rentu was shot in the crossfire when RAB retaliated. His accomplices fled the scene. The doctor on duty declared him dead when he was taken to Panchbibi Upazila Medical Complex.”
He said RAB recovered one pistol, two rounds of bullets and ‘a large amount’ of drugs from the scene.
The deceased was named in at least seven narcotics cases across the district, he added.
Mymensingh
Md Shahjahan, 30, has been killed in a ‘shootout’ with a law enforcement agency in Ishwarganj Upazila of Mymensingh, said police.
“Police conducted a drive to nab few drug-dealers dividing up earnings near the road beside Abul Khair’s garage in Atharbari Telwari Gandimore in Ishwarganj Upazila based on a tip,” said Officer in Charge of Mymensingh Detective Branch Police Ashikur Rahman.
“The drug-dealers pelted stones at police and also opened fire when the team arrived at 1:30 am. The criminals fled the scene when police retaliated and Shahjahan was found shot. Doctors on duty declared Shahjahan dead when he was taken to hospital.”
Police recovered 200 grams of heroin, five bullet casings and two sharp weapons from the scene, he said.
Shahjahan was named in eight narcotics cases, he added.
Dinajpur
Abdus Salam, 36, died in a gunfight between two groups of drug-peddlers in Ramsagar while Sabdarul, 40, has been killed in a ‘shootout’ with RAB in Dinajpur’s Birganj Upazila.
Sabdarul hailed from Nandaigaon village in Palashbari Union while Abdus Salam was from Maharmpur village in Sadar Upazila.
RAB received information that drug-dealers were discussing a deal in the Basudev neighbourhood at the southern side of the Golapganj-Kabirajhat highway at around 2:00 am, said RAB-13 Dinajpur Camp Commander Talukder Nazmus Sakib.
“They fired at RAB and Sabdarul was killed when RAB retaliated.”
He said a foreign-made pistol, four bullets, some marijuana and 95 bottles of Phensedyl was been recovered. Sabdarul is named in almost 40 cases, he said.
A patrol team of police was dispatched to Ramsagar after receiving a report of a shootout, Officer in Charge of Kotowali Police Station Redwanur Rahim said.
“Most of the perpetrators ran away when police arrived in the scene. Police rescued Salam, who has shot, and took him to Dinajpur M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.”
Police recovered one pistol, four cocktail bombs, 200 bottles of Phensedyl and a number of sharp weapons from the scene, he said. Salam was accused in several cases, Rahim added.
Barguna
A suspected drug dealer Sabir Hossain Khan, 35, has been killed in a gunfight between two gangs of drug traffickers at Zakir Tabak village in Sadar Upazila, said police.
The gangs of Monir and Sabir Hossain had a gunfight regarding drug sales and the split of earnings at around 5:00 am, said Officer in Charge of Sadar Police Station SM Masuduzzaman. Most of the perpetrators fled the scene when police arrived, but Sabir’s body was found beside the road, he added.
OC Masuduzzaman said police recovered one firearm, five bullets and 100 yaba tablets from the scene.
Thakurgaon
A man has been killed in a ‘shootout’ with police in Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila.
The deceased was identified as Mobarak Hossain alias Kutti, 40.
Police conducted a drive to nab a group of drug-dealers at the Danarhaat neighbourhood of Begunbari union at around 3:00am based on a tip, said Thakurgaon Police Superintendent Farhat Ahmed.
“The drug-dealers fired at police when they had reached Begunbari and police returned fire. The gunfight continued for about 10 minutes and at one point Mobarak Hossain alias Kutti was killed in the crossfire.”
Police recovered 200 yaba tablets, several sharp weapons, the remnants of five exploded cocktail bombs, and five bullet casing, he said.
Mobarak was named in 15 narcotics and smuggling cases at the Sadar and Peerganj Police Stations, Ahmed said.
Pabna
Abdur Rahman, 42, was killed during a police ‘shootout’ in Pabna.
Police took him along on a drug raid to Mahendrapur, said Pabna Police Superintendent Jihadul Kabir, bdnews24 reported.
“A group of his accomplices attacked the police team with bullets and cocktail bombs. Police fired back. Rahman was shot while trying to flee. He was taken to Pabna Central Hospital where the doctor on duty declared him dead.”
Police recovered one firearm, three rounds of bullets, four bullet casings, 200 yaba tablets and five grams of marijuana from the scene, he said.
