Our staff correspondent from Khulna reports: Two notorious robbers were killed in an encounter between the DB police and the robbers at Harhbaria adjacent to the Sundarbans under Mongla Police Station in Bagerhat district in the early hours yesterday.

Rezaul Islam, 45, and Shanu Dakua, 35 were arrested at Bagerhat town on Monday afternoon with 12 firearms looted at different times from the forest guards and police since 2002. These include three rifles, three double-barrel guns, six single-barrel guns and 35 rifle bullets and cartridges.

The DB police and the accomplices of the slain robbers traded over a hundred rounds of shots during the 20-minute long gun-battle at about 4:30am, after which the criminals fled the scene.

Accused in 22 criminal cases, including four for murder, Rezaul Talukder hails from Malliker Berh union under Rampal upazila of Bagerhat, police said. Taking advantage of general amnesty, he surrendered to former home minister Mohammad Nasim in 1999 laying down 11 firearms.

Shanu Dakua of Kashipur village under the same upazila was accused in 13 criminal cases, including two for murder.

Our staff correspondent from Khulna also says: Moin Khan, 32, a cadre of the outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-Janajuddho) was killed during a shootout between the police and his cohorts at Bihari Colony under Khanjahan Ali Police Station of Khulna city.

He was arrested at Phulbari rail gate on Monday night.

The shootout took place at about 3:15am during an arms recovery drive, the police said.

Four shotgun bullets, two bombs, one dagger and huge bomb making ingredients were recovered from the spot, DB police sources said.

According to police, the slain outlaw of Gilatala in Khulna city was accused in 13 criminal cases, including three for murder, filed against him with different police stations of Khulna city.

Police also said that during interrogation, Moin confessed that four cadres of the Janajuddho carried out the bomb attack on patrol police on Monday night near Phulbari rail gate in which four policemen were injured.

Our staff correspondent from Chittagong adds: Delwar Hossain alias killer Delu, a listed criminal, was killed in an encounter between his accomplices and members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in the early hours yesterday.

A team of Rab arrested him on Sunday night from city's Feroz Shah Colony under Pahartali Police Station. During interrogation at Rab-7 headquarters in Patenga, he confessed to have possessed sophisticated firearms, including four AK-47 rifles, Rab sources said.

Following his confession, the Rab team along with Delu went to Rubber Garden, a remote hilly area in Raozan, at around 12:45am to recover the firearms. As they reached the place, Delu's accomplices opened fire on them in a bid to snatch him against which the Rab also retaliated.

Delu got caught in the brief gun-battle and died on the spot, sources said.

One revolver, two LG, one country-made gun, four revolver bullets, three cartridges and a machete were recovered from the spot, but no AK-47.

The body was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for autopsy.

Sources said Delu was accused in 17 criminal cases, including six for murder. His elder brother Peyar Hossain alias Peru, also a top listed criminal, was killed in another encounter with Rab about six months ago. The two brothers had established a reign of terror in three unions of the upazila -- Noapara, Guzra and Dewanpur, the sources added.

Meanwhile, an alleged extortionist was killed during a gunfight between a local gang and Rab personnel at West Rampura last night.

Rab said the person killed in the gunfight is Raju, 16, who was a member of local Nasim gang of Khilgaon area.

Rab officials said eight to nine members of the gang went to an under construction building site in an ally opposite Athithee Community Centre around 8:30pm and started scolding Ripon, the owner of the building.

They said the gang members became annoyed with Ripon as he refused to pay them illegal tolls and because one of his construction workers had handed over one of the gang members to police earlier on the day when he had come to collect the money.

"As I was informed of the incident I thought that the criminals will come again to take revenge and accordingly I deployed five of our members disguised as construction workers," said Maj Ataul Karim, acting director of Rab-3.

He said as per their assumption, the criminals came to the under-construction building and when the Rab men challenged them they opened fire on the law enforcers prompting them to retaliate, which led to a 15-minute gunfight leaving Raju dead.

Maj Ataul said the other members of the gang managed to flee in the dark taking advantage of a load shedding that began 30 seconds into the gun battle.

UNB reports, a listed criminal was killed in a gunfight between his cohorts and Rab at Mirpur in the capital early yesterday.

Jahangir alias Jakkha Jahangir, 30, was arrested by Rab at Pirerbagh on Monday with a loaded revolver. Following his confessional statement, the Rab took him to Ahmadnagar at Paikpara at about 3:00am to seize illegal firearms from his den, the Rab sources said.

Sensing trouble, Jahangir's accomplices opened fire on Rab, which the law enforcers returned. Jahangir received bullets during the shootout as he tried to flee, the Rab sources said adding that he died on his way to hospital.

Hailing from Sheurapara, Jahangir was accused in seven criminal cases, including two for murder.