Rohingya ‘drug peddler’ killed in Cox’s Bazar gunfight: BGB

An alleged Rohingya drug peddler was killed in a gunfight with members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar early today.

The deceased was identified as M Saker (22), son of Khairul Amin of Block-H in Balukhali Rohinya camp in Ukhia upazila of Cox's Bazar, our Cox's Bazar correspondent reports, quoting BGB officials.

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

After a while, they noticed some people entering the area with sacks -- crossing the Naf river, and the BGB team signaled them to stop, he said.

Seeing the law enforcers, the "smugglers" opened fire at the BGB team, forcing them to retaliate, triggering a "gunfight", claimed the BGB official.

The BGB members found a drug peddler, who suffered bullet injuries, at the spot while others managed to flee the scene.

The injured man was taken to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Cox's Bazar district hospital for better treatment, where doctors declared him dead this morning, said Foysal Khan.

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

Two BGB members were injured during the gunfight and they were given treatment at the upazila health complex.

The BGB team also recovered 240,000 yaba tablets, one locally made gun, two rounds of cartridges and a machete from the spot.