‘Drug trader’ killed in ‘gunfight’

A suspected drug dealer was killed in a "gunfight" with Border Guard Bangladesh in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar early yesterday.

The identity of the deceased could not be known immediately.

BGB claimed to have seized 52,000 yaba tablets and a locally-made firearm from the spot at Golarchar point in Shah Porir Dwip around 3:00am.

A member of BGB was also injured in the incident, it claimed.

BGB-2 Battalion Commander Lt Col Md Faisal Hasan Khan said one of their teams chased two drug dealers when they were entering Bangladesh territory in a boat through the Naf river.

Seeing the BGB members, the duo opened fire, forcing the border troops to fire back. One of the criminals fell in the river as he was hit by bullets, but the other managed to flee, the official said.

Inspector (investigation) Abdul Alim of Teknaf Model Police Station said they recovered the body in the morning. The body was sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, he added.