Three suspected criminals, including a top underground party leader, were killed in shootouts between their associates and the police and the Rapid Action Battalion in Dhaka, Chittagong and Kushtia on Saturday and Sunday. In Dhaka, a RAB squad encircled the house of Firoz Alam Pintu, on Haricharan Roy Road near Mill Barrack under Sutrapur in the capital at about 10:30pm Saturday.
But, Pintu and his associates opened fire on the battalion which the elite force returned. Hit by bullets, Pintu died on the spot, the police said. His associates got away, leaving Pintu and three firearms.
Pintu, also a reported leader of the BNP’s labour front, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, had been absconding. Criminal cases were filed against him with the Sutrapur thana.
In Chittagong, Hossain Ahammad Munna alias Fayez Munna, an alleged criminal, was killed in a ‘shootout’ between the RAB and his associates at village Mirerkhil under Hathazari upazila early Sunday. Munna, 22, the second-in-command of Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed Gittu Nasirgroup, was shot dead when the RAB members went to recover arms along with him in the area at about 4:30am. The RAB men recovered five guns and 47 rounds of ammunitions from the spot.
In Kushtia, Mohidul Islam Shamim alias Mohit Malitha, 42, reportedly the second-in-command of Purba Banglar Communist Party (ML-Jonojuddha), died in a shootout between the police and his associates at village Lalongar under Daulatpur upazila early Saturday.