Drug war: Death toll continues to rise after overnight ‘shootouts

Drug war: Death toll continues to rise
after overnight ‘shootouts’

At least 12 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
and Dinajpur, and one each in Kurigram,
Pabna, Thakurgaon, Chandpur, Mymensingh,
Joypurhat, Feni and Barguna.
Police claim that the casualties in Feni and
Barguna and one of the dead in Dinajpur were
killed in shootouts amongst rival gangs of drug
traffickers.
Law enforcers claim that two people in
Cumilla, and the casualties in Kurigram,
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 68 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 Comilla 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
around 3am 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 ‘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 in 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 a 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 ‘shootout’
with 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 at that drug-dealers
were discussing a deal in the Basudev
neighbourhood at the southern side of the
Golapganj-Kabirajhat highway around 2am,
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 told bdnews24.com.
“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 doctor 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 a
firearm, five bullets and 100 yaba tablets from
the scene.
THAKURGAON
A man has been killed in ‘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.
“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 a firearm, three rounds of
bullets, four bullet casings, 200 yaba tablets
and five grams of marijuana from the scene,
he said.
KURIGRAM
A suspected drug dealer named Ibrahim
Hossain, 37, has been killed in an alleged
shootout with police in Kurigram’s
Bhurungamari Upazila.
Police went on a drug raid in South Bashjani
village near the Indian border
around 4:30am after receiving a tip, said
Bhurungamari Police Station OC Imtiaz Kabir.
“The drug traffickers opened fire on police and
police retaliated. Ibrahim, the head of the drug
trafficking syndicate, was shot in the leg. He
was taken to Kurigram Sadar Hospital, where
he died around 9:15am.”
The patient was brought in with a bullet
wound to the leg, said Kurigram Sadar
Hospital caretaker Anwarul Huq Pramanik. He
later died of excessive blood loss.
Police have recovered 5kg of marijuana, sharp
weapons and explosives from the scene, said
OC Imtiaz Kabir.
by: bdnews24