A suspected drug peddler has been killed in Cox's Bazar in what the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) described as shootout.
The incident was reported around 4.30am on Tuesday (Dec 10) near the bank of Naf river at Jadimora village in Teknaf Upazila’s Hnila union, said BGB.
The deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Imam Hossain who BGB believe was involved in drug peddling.
"Acting on a tip-off that a yaba consignment will be arriving in Bangladesh from Myanmar by a boat through Naf river, a BGB team took position near the river waiting for them to appear,” said Teknaf-2 BGB Battalion Commander Md Faisal Hasan Khan.
"As the boat drew near, the BGB member wanted to search it but the men on the boat opened fire at the law enforcement, forcing them to fire back in self-defence which triggered the shootout."
"At one point of the shooting, the drug traders ran away, leaving the injured Imam on the spot," the BGB official said.
BGB members sent Imam to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex and then to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for better treatment, where the doctor declared him dead.
His body has been kept at the hospital for autopsy, the BGB commanding officer added.
He said they seized 120,000 yaba tablets, whose market value is approximately Tk 36 million some sharp weapons, firearms and ammunition from the spot.
BGB has lodged a case with Teknaf police station in this regard, the BGB official said.