Jamaat leader killed in gunfight

A ward-level Jamaat-e-Islami leader was killed in a gunfight between law enforcers and Jamaat-Shibir men in Sadar upazila of Meherpur early yesterday.
Abdul Jabbar, member of Amjhupi union parishad, was the Jamaat ameer (chief) of ward no. 9 in the union.
Jamaat called a daylong hartal in the district today protesting the death, confirmed Abu Bakar Siddique, office secretary of the party's district unit.  
AKM Nahidul Islam, superintendent of police (SP) in Meherpur, said a team of joint forces arrested Jabbar from his residence at Hijuli village on Monday morning in connection with recent violence unleashed by Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir in the district.
Two cases were filed against him earlier.
During the interrogation, Jabbar disclosed the identity of the party men in the area, and a cache of arms possessed by them, the SP said.
Shibir cadres led by Abdul Matin, Khulna divisional coordinator of Jamaat, were scheduled to meet him in the village on the night, the SP said quoting Jabbar.
Following the confessional statement, a team of joint forces conducted a raid in the village around 2:00am yesterday, said Reazul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station.
Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, Jamaat-Shibir men opened fire on the joint forces, while the law enforcers fired gunshots in response, the OC said.
At one stage, Jabbar, who was staying with the team during the raids, jumped out of the police van to flee the scene, and was caught in the line of fire, the OC said.
His cohorts, however, managed to escape.
Police claimed that three members of joint forces had sustained injuries. The law enforcers also recovered firearms and bombs from the spot.
Jabbar was taken to Meherpur General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 3:30am, the OC added.
The body was handed over to the family members.