Sirajganj Shibir man killed in 'shootout'

A detained Shibir activist was killed in a “shootout” between police and his cohorts in Sirajganj while the bullet-riddled body of another activist was recovered in Rajshahi yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Anisur Rahman Anis, 20, of Goyhatta village in Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj, and Shahidul Islam, 24, of Bharalipara in Rajshahi city.

Habibul Islam, OC of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station, said police detained Anis from Dhanbandhi in Sirajganj Sadar around 9:00pm Sunday in connection with hurling crude bombs at the police station.

Anis was a student of Moulana Bhasani Degree College and an activist of the student body of Jamaat-e-Islami in the district, sources said.

Following information from Anis, police raided a student mess at Dhanbandhi around 9:30pm, detained five Shibir men and seized three crude bombs, the OC said.

Later, police conducted another drive in Hard Point area taking Anis along with them around 12:30am yesterday, reports our Pabna correspondent. 

Sensing the presence of law enforcers, some Shibir activists opened fire on them, forcing the policemen to retaliate that triggered a 15-minute “gunfight”, police said.

At one stage, the attackers fled and police found the bullet-hit body of Anis lying on the spot, the OC said.

The law enforcers rushed him to Sirajganj General Hospital where he died around 6:00am, he added.

In Rajshahi city, police recovered the bullet-riddled body of Shahidul from a field, around 50 yards off Kharkhari bypass road, in Kistoganj area around 7:00am.

Shahidul was a Shibir activist and younger brother of Rajshahi city unit Shibir president Jasim Uddin, said Mizanur Rahman, OC of Shah Makhdum Police Station.

The body bore five bullet wounds in the chest, and was sent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy, he said.

Shahidul's cousin Abdullah Jubayer told The Daily Star Shahidul had no connection with Shibir after he joined Islami Bank Hospital in Nawdapara area as a night guard two and a half years back.

DB police arrested him from the hospital on Saturday night, Jubayer, also the general secretary of Rajshahi city unit Shibir, said.

He added that Shibir in a press release on Sunday expressed concern over the fate of Shahidul as police did not produce him before a court and denied his arrest.

Contacted, Iftekhair Alam, assistant commissioner (DB) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, said he had no official information on Shahidul's arrest.