In another incident in Chuadanga, two children of a local BNP leader were injured as suspected outlawed party cadres hurled two bombs into the living room of their house Friday night.

2 KILLED IN JESSORE
Our Jessore correspondent reports: Two top operatives of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) Janajuddho faction were killed in an alleged crossfire between their comrades and Kotwali police in Jessore in the early hours yesterday.

The dead PBCP-Janajuddho men were identified as its regional leader Mashiur Rahman, 28, son of Jamaat Ali, and Ikram Hossain, 22, son of late Abdul Aziz, of Shantala village on the outskirts of Jessore Town.

They were wanted in five criminal cases, Officer in Charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station (PS) Shahidul Islam said.

Police sources said, tipped off, a contingent of the Kotwali police led by sub inspectors (SI) Aman and Monir raided Banga Gate area in Nazir Shankarpur of the town and arrested Mashiur and Ikram at about 5:45pm Friday.

During interrogation at the police station, Moshiur reportedly confessed to making four bomb attacks on police patrols and possessing a large cache of arms and ammunition.

That night, a police team led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Zillur Rahman took the two arrestees to their rented house at Nazir Shankarpur and recovered two locally made guns, four powerful bombs, six bullets, a large quantity of explosive materials and some party literature, police said.

Police said, on its way to recover some more arms and ammunition, the team was ambushed by Janajuddho cadres near Hamkur Bridge on Jessore-Narail highway at about 3:00am yesterday, apparently in a bid to snatch away the arrestees. The team opened fire in return.

Caught in the crossfire, both Moshiur and Ikram suffered multiple bullet hits and died on the spot, police said, adding the frustrated Janajuddho men then fled the scene.

Police reported constables Mahbub, 45, Shamim, 35, and Rabiul, 50, as severely wounded in the gunfight.

According to police sources, Moshiur took over as regional leader of the PBCP Janajuddho after his predecessor Monju died in another crossfire about one and a half months ago.

The bodies of the two outlaws were sent to the local 250-bed hospital for autopsy at about 4:10am.

KUSHTIA SHOOTOUT
Our Kushtia correspondent reports: A frontline operative of outlawed Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF) was killed in a gunfight with police in the district.

According to Kushtia police, tipped off that a group of GMF members were holding a meeting in a house of Joynabad village under Kumarkhali upazila, a police team led by the OC of Kumarkhali PS, Gius Uddin Ahmed, went to the village at about 4:00am.

Police said, sensing their presence and before they could cordon off the village, the outlaws started to flee, with police hard on their heels. At one stage of the chase, the outlaws opened fire on police, prompting them to retaliate and resulting in an hour-long gunfight.

Hit with bullets, GMF cadre Hamidul Islam, 27, son of Gosai Ali of Joynabad village, died on the spot, police said. The body was sent to Kushtia General Hospital for autopsy.

At least 50 rounds of bullets were exchanged during the fight, of which police admitted to 20. They retrieved a rifle with 15 bullet from the spot.

MEHERPUR CROSSFIRE
Our Kushtia correspondent reports: Hamidul Islam, a local leader of PBCP (Marxist Leninist) as well as the chief of a gang named after him, was killed in yet another crossfire at Sonakhali village in Meherpur early hours yesterday.

Meherpur Kotwali police arrested Hamid, 39, son of Rahatullah of Bhabanandapur village under Meherpur Sadar upazila, along with his bodyguard Ziaur Rahman at Sonar Bangla Hotel in Chuadanga Town Friday evening. Zia hails from Shibpur village under Mujibnagar upazila.

Police said Hamid stood accused in 12 cases including eight for murders and Zia in three murder cases. They were brought to Meherpur Kotwali PS for interrogation.

Police said, acting on Hamid's confession, they started with him for Sonakhali village at about 4:30am yesterday to recover the underground outfit's hidden firearms.

As they reached the Sonakhali Field, a group of PBCP-ML cadres opened fire on them, police said, adding they then retaliated.

According to police, Hamid got caught in the crossfire while trying to escape in handcuffs jumping down from a police van. He died instantly.

Two police constables were also reported to be injured during the gunfight.

Police later recovered a pipe gun and a shutter gun with five bullets from the spot. Hamid's body was sent to Meherpur Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

CHUADANGA BOMBBLASTS
A gang of four masked men, whom police suspect to belong to an outlawed political party, threw two bombs at the house of Abdul Zabbar, publication secretary of Chuadanga district BNP and general secretary of district Jubo Dal, in the district headquarters Friday night.

Police said the bombs were hurled into the living room, where Zabbar's son Ivan, 8, and daughter Liza, 13, were watching television at about 9.30pm. Both were injured in the blasts.

No underground outfit claimed responsibility for the attack. A case was filed.