Staff Reporter :
The countrywide anti-drug crackdown continues, twelve more people were killed early Tuesday in what the law enforcers called gunfights.
Thus the number of deceased described as drug dealers, has reached 117 since May 12.
However, the incidents reported by the law enforcement authorities could not be verified independently. The opposition and human rights bodies termed the deaths in reported gunfights as extra-judicial killings.
In ‘gunfights’ with the Rapid Action Battalion(RAB) and the police, the 12 people were killed in Dhaka, Thakurgaon, Brahmanbaria, Barguna, Cumilla, Mymensingh, Satkhira, Kushtia and Jashore.
In Dhaka, Sumon alias Khuku Sumon, 42, a drug suspect, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Asian City Park in the capital’s Dakhshin Khan area around 12:15am.
Tapan Chandra Saha, Officer-in-Charge of Dakhshin Khan Police Station, said that they recovered a shooter gun, two rounds of bullets, four crude bombs and 1,000 pieces of Yaba tablets from the spot.
Two policemen were injured, he added.
Haripur police said, a suspected drug trader Harun, 45, was killed in a gunfight in Panchgharia of Haripur upazila, Thakurgaon. He was son of Abdul Aziz from Sheetalpur village.
The police said that they ran a drive in the Panchgharia area around 2:00am. The drug traders opened fire sensing their presence, the police added. In retaliation the police opened fire and the drug traders fled.
The law enforcers then arrested injured Harun from the spot and rushed him to Thakurgaon Modern Sadar Hospital. The on-duty physician declared him dead. The police recovered 110 bottles of phensedyl, four cartridge caps and four local firearms. The law enforcers also claimed that four of their members were also injured in the ‘gunfight’.
The resident medical officer of the Thakurgaon Hospital Subrata Kumar Sen said, the police brought the man at hospital around 3:00am. He was already dead by that time, he said.
The Haripur Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ruhul Kuddus said, Harun was a listed drug trader and an accused in seven cases under the anti-drug law.
In Satkhira, alleged drug peddler Anisur Rahman, 42, was killed in a reported gunfight at Chitla, Kolaroa upazila. He was son of Surat Ali from the village of Pakuria in Deyara union.
The Kalaroa Thana Officer-in-Charge Biplab Kumar Nath said, being informed of a ‘gunfight’ between two groups of drug traders Chital, Kushalia, a team of the police led by sub-inspector Sirazul Mahmud went to the spot. As the law enforcers opened blank fire, the drug traders ran away. The police arrested injured Anisur Rahman from there.
The law enforcers reportedly recovered a one-shooter gun, two bullets and 70 Yaba tablets from the spot.
As Anisur was rushed to the Kolaroa Health Complex, the physician declared him dead. There were signs of bullet hit in his head.
OC Biplab alleged that Anisur was a Yaba trader. Tel cases were filed against him with the Kolaroa Police Station.
The Jashore police said, two ‘drug traders’ were killed in a ‘gunfight’ around 3:00am Tuesday in Chachra Roypara Government Primary School compound of Jashore.
The deceased were Asar Ali, 56, son of Jahan Ali from Mandalgati village, and Manik, 26, son of Sekandar Ali from Chachra Roypara. Jashore Kotwali Police Sub-Inspector Manjurul Islam said, the police came at the Chanchra Roypara school compound following information about a ‘gunfight’ between two groups of drug traders there. Sensing their presence, the drug traders fled the spot. The police said they recovered two dead bodies from the area along with two pistols, two bullets, five cartridge caps and 600 yaba tablets.
Two other ‘drug peddlers’ were killed in another reported gunfight in Shehala Math at Daulatpur, Kushtia.
The deceased are Mukaddes Ali, 42, son of Rezaul Islam from Munshiganj, Ramkrishnapur and Fazlur Rahman alias Title, 48, son of late Yakub Ali from Pragpur Bazar.
Daulatpur Police inspector Asgar Ali said, the police conducted a raid around 3:00am on Monday. The drug traders opened fire against the law enforcers, they claimed. In retaliation, the police opened fire and two drug traders were killed. They were then taken to the Daulatpur upazila health complex where the physician confirmed their death.
Asgar Ali claimed, three of the police personnel were injured in the ‘gunfight’. The law enforcers recovered firearms, bullets and huge drugs from the spot, they said.
At least eight cases in connection with drug trade and hijack, were filed against each of the deceased, added Asgar Ali.
In Cumilla, two suspected drug traders — Liton alias Kana Liton, 43, son of Abdus Samad of Poiyapathor area, and Baten, 34, son of Sahid Miah of Bakhornagar village of Muradnagar upazila — were killed in a reported gunfight with the police in Gunjar area around 12:30am.
The police recovered a pipegun and 400 bottles of Phensidyl from the spot, said AKM Manjur Alam, OC of Muradnagar Police Station. Three policemen were injured during the incident, he added.
In Mymensingh, suspected drug trader Mizan, 45, son of Nurul Islam of Dakhshin Kachina village in Bhaluka upazila, was killed in a reported gunfight with the police around 2:10 am. Ashiqur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Detective Branch of district police said law enforcers recovered 100 grams of heroin, three bullet shells and a machete from the spot.
Mizan was accused in nine cases including drug and robbery, he added.
In Barguna, a suspected drug trader named Firoz Mridha, 45, son of Hashem Miah of Ward No 4 of Betagi Municipality, and an accused in nine cases, was killed in a reported gunfight with members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Kumrakhali village under Kajirabad union around 4:30am.
Mammunur Rashid, OC of Betagi Police Station, said a revolver, a shooter gun, four round, bullets and 240 Yaba tablets were recovered from the spot.
In Brahmanbaria, suspected drug trader Jony Mia, 30, son of Firoz Miah of Baganbari area in Akhaura upazila, and accused in eight cases, was killed in a reported gunfight between two groups of drug trader in Khalajora area of Akhaura municipal around 2am.
On information, the police recovered the body and a pipe gun, a cartridge and sharp weapons from the spot, said Mosharaf Hossain, OC of Akhaura police station.
The law enforcers said that Yaba, cannabis, phensedyl and other drugs along with local and foreign firearms were recovered from almost all the spots the raids were conducted.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said the anti-drug drive will continue until the situation comes under complete control.
