Seven killed in a single ‘gunfight’

Seven suspected Rohingya robbers were killed in an alleged gunfight with Rab in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf early yesterday.

This is the highest number of casualties in a single incident of "gun-battle" in Bangladesh in recent times.

With the seven, at least 15 alleged Rohingya criminals have been killed in "gunfights" with law enforcers since February last year, show media reports.

Talking on the issue, rights activists said such incidents were the result of a culture of impunity prevailing in the country.

Wing Commander Azim Ahmed, commanding officer of Rab-15, said acting on a tip-off that a group of robbers was hiding in Shalbagan Lalporirjum Hill, adjacent to Jadimura-Nayapara 26 and 27 Rohingya Refugee Camps, a Rab team raided the area around 2:00am yesterday.

First, the Rab members cordoned off the area and then using a megaphone asked the robbers to surrender. But at this, the criminals opened fire on them, forcing the law enforcers to fire retaliatory shots, he claimed at a press briefing at his office in Cox's Bazar last evening.

The "gunfight" continued for nearly four hours. After it ended, the Rab members searched the area and recovered seven bullet-hit bodies, he said.

Talking to The Daily Star, Sakia Hoque, a doctor at the emergency unit of Teknaf Upazila Health Complex, said the seven bodies and three injured Rab members were taken there early yesterday morning.

The seven were brought dead and the Rab members were released after they were given primary treatment, he said.

Azim also claimed to have recovered three pistols, seven one-shot guns,12 bullets and 13 abandoned bullet shells from the spot.  

Rab officials said the deceased were members of a notorious robber gang led by Zokir Ahmed.

Azim said they had been trying to nab the gang for the last 15 days. Its members were involved in robbery, yaba trade and human trafficking.

He identified four of the deceased as Md Faruk, 35, a resident of Block-D at Camp 27; Nur Hossain Nuraiyya, 35, a resident of Block-E at Camp 27, Md. Imran, 22, a resident of Shalbagan Camp, and Ali Hossain, 27, a resident of Camp-27.

Identities of the three others could not be confirmed till late last night.

Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Police Station, said the bodies were sent to Cox's Bazar General Hospital for autopsy. Rab has filed a case with the police station in this connection.

The law enforcers said they were raiding different areas to arrest the gang leader, Zokir.

After the "gunfight", policemen visited the refugee camps and sought cooperation from the Rohingyas to arrest robbers.

Meanwhile, panic gripped the camp areas since the incident.

'GUNFIGHT WITH BGB'

A man was killed in another gunfight with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in Damdamia area of Teknaf around 11:00pm on Sunday night.

The identity of the deceased could not be known, reports Bangla Daily Prothom Alo.

BGB claimed to have recovered 1.5 lakh yaba pills, a fire arms and two cartridges from the spot, said Lt Col Md Faysal Hasan Khan, commander of BGB's Teknaf-2 unit. 

RIGHTS ACTIVISTS EXPRESS CONCERN

At least 412 people were killed in 2018 after the government launched an anti-narcotics drive on May 4 that year. Last year, the figure was 356.

Noted human rights activist Nur Khan said the sharp rise in extrajudicial killings was extremely worrisome.

"Seven people killed in a single operation is definitely the biggest one. We can't accept it. The area where it happened is notorious for various types of criminal gangs, including those of robbers. The law enforcers, however, should be more careful in bringing criminals to book."

Such killings raise fears in the society and also lead to a culture of impunity, he said.

Nur observed that extrajudicial killings were taking place as law enforcers themselves lack faith in the country's judicial system.