The dead are identified as Milon Hossain, 35, a member of the outlawed Biplobi Communist Party (BCP) and Abdus Salek, 42, leader of an organised gang of robbers.

Our correspondent from Kushtia said that the police arrested Milon at his house in Dhalnagar village under Kumarkhali upazila on Tuesday morning.

During interrogation at Kumarkhali Police Station, he confessed to having firearms hidden in different areas. Later, police took him to Dhalnagar village to retrieve the firearms.

As they reached at Badh Bazar area, 5 kilometres off the Dhalnagar at around 4:30am, the BCP cadres opened fire on them. The law enforcers retaliated resulting in a half an hour-long gunfight.

Milon fell in the line of fire when he tried to escape, police said. He died on the spot. Police seized three bullets from the scene.

Milon was accused in 12 cases, including three for murder.

A total 116 alleged criminals, the highest across the country, have been killed so far in Kushtia since June 2004.

Meanwhile, UNB from Chittagong reports that Abdus Salek and five others were arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) during an operation at Sarol union in Banshkhali upazila Tuesday morning.

Following his confessional statement, Rab took him to Kataria village of the same upazila at about 4:30am to recover hidden arms and arrest his cohorts.

"As soon as they came near the den of Salek, his cohorts opened fire on the law enforcers in a bid to snatch Salek, forcing the Rab men to retaliate," said a police official.

Salek got caught in the 'crossfire' while trying to escape and died on the spot. The body was sent to morgue for autopsy.

A member of the notorious Amin Bahini, Salek was also a leader of an organised gang of robbers, police said.