Two activists of Jamaat-e-Islami were killed in a reported ‘gunfight’ between their cohorts and police at Begatipara in Monirampur upazila of Jessore early Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Bazlur Rahman Bazlu,35, son of Nagar Ali, a resident of Joypur village in Monirampur upazila, and Abu Sayeed,40, son of Babar Ali Biswas, a resident of Dumuria upazila in Khulna district.
The injured was identified as Nazrul Islam Jasim, joint convenor of South Hamchhadi union unit Juba Dal, the youth wing of BNP.
Abu Sayeed had used to live at Joypur village upon there being his in-laws’ house.
Assistant superintendent of police Reshma Sharmin said on a tip-off, a team of police conducted a drive at Joypur village in Monirampur upazila and arrested Bazlu and Sayeed at about 9:00 pm on Tuesday.
Later, police conducted a drive along with the duo to recover firearms at about 2:30 am in Begatipara area.
The ASP said, sensing the presence of the law enforcers, associates of the duo who gathered in the area for carrying out sabotage, hurled several crude bombs and opened fires at police, prompting them to retaliate, triggering a gunfight.
Bazlu and Sayeed were caught in the line of fire and died on the spot while his cohorts managed to flee, she said.
Later police recovered the bodies and took those to Monirampur Police Station.
Police said they also recovered 12 Molotov cocktails, nine crude bombs, one pistol, one shutter gun and four rounds of bullet from the spot.
Bazlu and Sayeed were accused in a case filed for attacking the village and vandalised and torched at least 70 houses on March 22, 2013, police said.
In Laxmipur a local leader of Juba Dal sustained bullet injuries during a reported ‘gunfight’ with police at Palerhat in Sadar upazila early Wednesday.
Assistant superintendent of police Nasim Miah said a team of police conducted a raid in the area to arrest Jasim, an accused in a case for subversive activities.
When police arrested Jasim, his associates attacked the law enforcers to snatch him from the police custody at about 2:00 am.
At one sage, police opened fire at the ‘criminals’. Jasim received bullet injuries when he tried to flee from the scene.
Later Jasim was admitted to Laxmipur Sadar Hospital under police custody. Three police constables– Nazmul Hasan, Bahar Uddin and Mayeen Uddin-–were also injured in the ‘gunfight’.
Jasim said that police picked up him from his house in the dead of night. Later they took him to Palerhat area and opened fire at his legs, he added. – Agencies
