AL man killed in Kushtia

Zakir Hossain

A ruling party activist who was allegedly involved in the August 15 infighting that left one dead in Kushtia was killed in a “gunfight” with police in the district town early yesterday.

Zakir Hossain, 35, is the third Awami League man to be killed in what law enforcers claimed “gunfights” in the last two days.

Police said Zakir, son of Abdur Razzak of Mirpur upazila, was an activist of the AL affiliated body Swechchhasebak League, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

Sabbir Ul Alam, officer-in-charge of Detective Branch of police, said the “gunfight” took place at Jagati area of Kushtia Sadar upazila around 1:30am.

Police conducted a drive in the area after being tipped off that a gang of criminals was holding a secret meeting there. Sensing the law enforcers' presence, the gang opened fire on them, forcing police to fire back triggering a gun battle, he claimed.

Zakir was found lying on the spot while the others managed to flee the scene. He was taken to Kushtia General Hospital where on-duty doctors declared him dead.

A homemade gun, three bullets, and sharp weapons were recovered from the spot, and five policemen were injured during the gunfight, the OC claimed.

Apart from being an accused in the August 15 infighting that left BCL activist Sabuj Hossain dead, Zakir was also an accused in another murder case filed with the local police station.

On August 15, two groups of Awami League supporters in Kushtia clashed over paying tribute to Bangabandhu on the National Mourning Day, leaving Sabuj dead on the spot.

Sohel Reza, additional superintendent of police in Kushtia, said Zakir had records of arms smuggling through Kushtia's border with India.

Meanwhile, rights body Ain O Salish Kendra yesterday in a statement expressed grave concern over the law enforcers' tendency to contain criminal activities through “extrajudicial killings”.

ASK Director Noor Khan alleged that some ruling party activists have been victims of the so-called “gunfights”.

“Law enforcers do this to make the stories of gunfights more credible,” he said.

According to ASK, 72 people were killed in “crossfire” between law enforcers and alleged criminals in the first six months of this year.

According to reports published in this newspaper, 20 people were killed in “gunfights” or “shootouts” between July 1 and August 18.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday at a programme in the capital said, “Rab says it's a gunfight, police says it's a gunfight. Among these, we are looking into the Hazaribagh incident.”

The home boss added that the prime minister had given the message much earlier that no criminals would be spared.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday at a programme at the Jatiya Press Club said no one would be able to escape after committing a crime.

“If someone supports a party, s/he must follow its rules. Violation of rules through infightings and killings will not be allowed,” he said.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh Chhatra League's Hazaribagh Thana unit leader Arzu Miah was killed in a “gunfight” between his cohorts and Rab members in the capital's Hazaribagh. On the same day, former BCL leader Mehedi Hasan Ajibor, who was an accused in a case over the July 23 shooting in Magura, was killed in another “gun battle” between his accomplices and police in the district town.