Rohingya ‘drug peddler’ killed in ‘gunfight’

An alleged Rohingya drug peddler was killed in a "gunfight" with members of Border Guard Bangladesh in Teknaf upazila early yesterday.

The dead, M Saker, 22, used to live in Ukhia's Balukhali Rohingya camp, said BGB officials.

Lt Col Foysal Hasan Khan, commanding officer of BGB Battalion-2, said a BGB team took position in Nayapara salt field area around 4:30am on information that some smugglers were entering Bangladesh from Myanmar with a big consignment of drugs.

They then noticed some people entering the area with sacks after crossing the Naf river, and the BGB team asked them to stop, he said.

Seeing the BGB members, the "smugglers" opened fire. The BGB members retaliated, triggering a "gunfight", claimed the BGB official.

The BGB members found a drug peddler, who was hit by bullets, at the spot, while others managed to flee the scene.

The injured was taken to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for better treatment, where doctors declared him dead, said Foysal.

Later, he was identified as Saker, a Rohingya man, said the BGB official.

Two BGB members were hurt and they took treatment at the upazila health complex.

The BGB team also claimed to have recovered 2.40 lakh yaba tablets, a homemade gun, two cartridges, and a sharp weapon from the spot.