Three alleged drug peddlers, including a Rohingya woman, have been killed in Cox’s Bazar in what police and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) described as shootouts.
The incidents were reported early on Sunday (Mar 31) from Moulvibazar area and Omarkhal area in the district’s Teknaf upazila.
The deceased have been identified as Mahmudur Rahman, 28, Mohammad Afsar, 25, and Rumana Akter, 20, from Leda Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar.
Law enforcers recovered six LG guns, 20,000 yaba tablets, 18 cartridges and three sharp weapons from the scenes.
In Moulvibazar, police conducted a raid based on a tip-off about the drug peddlers, Teknaf police OC Pradip Kumar Das told Bangla Tribune.
He claimed that, upon hearing the police, the drug peddlers opened fire at them, causing the police to retaliate in self-defence.
After the shooting was over, law enforcers reportedly found two bullet-riddled bodies lying on the ground. They were taken to Teknaf Upazila Hospital, and then sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, where the doctor declared them dead. The bodies have been kept at the hospital.
Three police officials – Sub-Inspector (SI) Dipak Biswas, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Amir and Constable Shariful – were injured in this incident and were taken to Teknaf Hospital.
A case, without any names mentioned, was filed with Teknaf police station against the remaining drug traders in this regard, although they already had cases filed against them involving drugs.
In Damdamia Omorkhal area near Naf river, a BGB patrol team was making rounds when they signalled some men to stop entering Bangladesh through the Omorkhal point, said Teknaf 2 BGB acting commander Shariful Islam Jomadder.
He said that the smugglers ignored the signal, firing shots at the BGB members and attacking them with sharp weapons as well, leaving one BGB member injured.
The BGB patrol team then took shelter and fired back at them in self-defence. Although the smugglers managed to escape, law enforcers found a bullet-riddled female body lying on the boat, the commander added.
Locals later identified the female body as a local Rohingya woman. The body was then sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy, the BGB official said.
