Rohingya man killed in Cox’s Bazar ‘gunfight’

A Rohingya man, who was allegedly involved in drug smuggling, was killed in “gunfight” with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in Cox’s Bazar early today.

The deceased Md Aiyas, 25, son of Md Jamal Hossain, was a resident of Kutupalong Rohingya Camp in Ukhia upazila, our Cox’s Bazar correspondent reports quoting BGB officials.

Being informed that a big consignment of yaba would smuggle into Bangladesh from Myanmar, a BGB team took position in Jadimora- Shikholghera area under Teknaf’s Hnila union, said Lt Colonel Mohammad Foysal Hasan Khan, commanding officer (CO) of BGB Battalion-2.

Around 3:00am, the team noticed that a boat carrying a group of people was entering Bangladesh from Laldwip of the neighbouring country crossing the Naf River, the CO added.

Sensing presence of the BGB men, the alleged smugglers started firing on the BGB team members when they came closer to the shore, BGB official said adding that they also retaliated with gunshots in self-defence triggering a “gun-battle” that lasted for 5/6 minutes.

At one stage, the three drug traders jumped into the river and swam away toward the Myanmar border, CO Foysal said.

Later, the BGB men found a bullet-hit “yaba smuggler” on the boat, he said. After providing primary treatment at Teknaf Upazila Health Complex, he was sent to Cox’s Bazar General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, the BGB official added.

The team recovered around 2.2 lakh yaba tablets, locally made firearms and ammunition from the boat, he added.

Three border troops were also injured in the gunfight, the CO said.