Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
The killing of drug dealers in so called gunfights in different districts reached a record high at 15 in a single day (Wednesday) while the tally of deceased in encounters reached at 132 during the countrywide ongoing anti-narcotic crackdown since May 12.
A total number ten thousands people were also arrested at the same time on charge of drug peddling, smuggling and patronizing and they have been shown arrested in 9,000 cases with different police stations at this time, law enforcing agencies report said.
The number of gunfight victims was also 12 on Tuesday, 11 on Monday, 10 on Sunday, 11 on Saturday, 9 on Friday and 9 in Thursday. THe number slightly varies every day but the intensity of the drive is not slowing.
In yesterday’s fresh count, killings were reported from Dhaka, Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Comilla, Narail, Chuadanga and Sirajganj. In Dhaka, three persons, including Ataur Rahman alias Ata, a listed drug peddler of Savar, were killed in Bhasantek at the wee hours of the day, said a text message from Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Arms, ammunition and a huge stash of drugs were seized from them, the text said.
In Cox’s Bazar, Mujibur Rahman, 42, was killed near Kabitachattar point sea beach at midnight, our local correspondent reports quoting Major Ruhul Amin, Company Commander, Cox’s Bazar Camp of RAB-7.
A total of 6,000 Yaba tablets, a shutter gun, five bullets and four bullet shells were recovered from the spot.
“The body was sent to Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital for postmortem” said Officer-in-Charge Farid Uddin Khandakar of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station.
In Chittagong, two alleged drug peddlers were killed in two separate “gunfights” in the port city and Sitakunda upazila.
Ishak, 37, was killed at Pologround area in the city around 12:30am, said Deputy Director (DD) Lieutenant Commander Ashequr Rahman of RAB-7. Ishak was wanted in 19 cases including cases of murder. Police recovered 4,000 pieces of Yaba tablets, bullets, cartridges and one shutter gun from the spot.
Meanwhile, law enforcers recovered the body of an alleged drug peddler, Rajib Hossain, 25, following a reported gunfight with his cohorts at Gulgular Bazar in Chhoto Darogar Haat area of Sitakunda upazila around 9:30am, police said.
Hossain was an accused in a case filed in connection to the killing of two Tripura girls in the district, our Chittagong university correspondent reports quoting Md Iftekhar Hassan, OC of Sitakunda Police Station.
In Comilla, Rosmat Ali, 40, was killed at Laribagh in Burichang upazila at around 12:45am, UNB reports quoting Manoj Kumar, OC of Burichang Police Station. Rosmat was wanted in seven cases filed under Narcotics Control Act.
Police recovered one cartridge, a pipe gun and 40kg hemp from his possession. Three policemen were injured in the incident.
In Narail, one Sajib, was killed at Malibagh in the suburb area of the district town, UNB reports quoting Mehedi Hasan, senior assistant superintendent of Narail police.
One shutter gun, a sharp weapon and some drug items were recovered from the spot.
In Chuadanga, Tanjil Hossain, 40, a top drug trader and an accused of 12 cases, was killed at Satgari Natunpara in the municipality area around 3:00am, said Abdul Khalek, OC of Sadar Police Station.
Law enforcers also recovered one shutter gun, four bullets and 170 bottles of phensidyl from the spot.
Relatives claimed Tanjil was arrested by plainclothes on Monday night from Bostapatti area of Chuadanga town. “Since then we had no communication with him,” he said.
In Jessore, two suspected drug peddlers were killed in a “gunfight” between two rival gangs of drug peddlers at Boro Achra, Benapole, around 4:00am, said Apurba Hasan, OC of Benapole Port Police Station.
One of the deceased was identified as Liton Mia, 42. 10kg cannabis, one pistol, two bullets and shells of bullets were recovered from the spot. Liton was a listed drug peddler and he stood accused in several cases.
In Magura, three suspected drug dealers were killed in gunfight between two groups at Batikadanga in Sadar upazila at around 2:00am, said Md Rezwan, superintendent of district Police.
They are-Bacchu Chopdar, 55, Raihan Dhali, 30, and Kishore Odhikari, 43. Police recovered 320gm heroin, 1kg cannabis, six bottles of phensidyl, six bullets and eight bullet shells from the spot.
Raihan and Kishore were accused in 10 narcotics-related cases each and Bacchu was wanted in seven such cases.
In Sirajganj, Ahsan Habib, 45, was killed in Kamarkhand upazila, RAB-5 sources said. The deceased was said to be a listed drug peddler. RAB recovered a shutter gun, 20 bottles of phensidyl, and 1,000 pieces of yaba pills from the spot.
Three RAB personnel were also reportedly hurt during the gunfight, the Rab official said.
