They were identified as Tariqul Islam, 40, a regional leader of outlawed Biplabi Communist Party (BCP), and Belal Hossain of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBC-ML-Lalpataka).

Our Kushtia correspondent reported that Tariqul was killed during a 'shootout' with police and his cohorts at Harkandi of Alamdanga upazila in Chuadanga early yesterday.

He was the son of Raza Mia of Harkandi.

Police claimed a team of Alamdanga police arrested Tariqul at a house in Harinakunda upazila of Jhenidah Thursday morning.

Following his confessional statement, the team took him to Harkandi to retrieve hidden firearms.

As they reached the spot around 4:30am, BCP cadres opened fire on them. Police retaliated which resulted in a half-hour-long gunfight. Tariqul was caught in the line of fire and hit by several bullets as he tried to escape police custody. He died on the spot, police claimed.

Police recovered a gun and three bullets from the spot but failed to capture any of Tariqul's accomplices.

Police said Tariqul was accused in a number of cases including four murder cases filed with different police stations of Chuadanga and Jhenidah.

In Pabna, Belal was killed in an encounter between his cohorts and Rab at Kuchiyamara village in Sadar upazila yesterday afternoon.

He was a regional leader of Purba Banglar Communist Party (ML-Lalpataka) and son of Kana Bakkar of Alokchar village.

"Belal was wanted in over a dozen cases, including seven for murder," Rab said.

The Rab sources said they had information that Belal along with his accomplices was preparing for carrying out criminal activity in the area.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-5 went to the area to arrest the outlaws at about 5:00pm. "As soon as the Rab men reached Kuchiamara, the outlaws opened fire on the law enforcers from inside a house, forcing the Rab men to retaliate," the sources said.

Belal was shot during the encounter and died on way to Pabna General Hospital.

Later, the body was sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy.

A .22-bore revolver and three bullets were recovered from the scene, the sources said.