1 killed in 'shootout'

An alleged criminal was killed in a “shootout” between his cohorts and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in the city's Cantonment area early yesterday.
The deceased, identified as Asgar Ali, 35, was accused in several cases including four for murder.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab raided Chowdhury Kunja at Manikdi around 2:00am, Ruhul Amin, senior assistant director of Rab-4 told The Daily Star.
At one stage, the criminals opened fire on the elite force members prompting them to retaliate.
Asgar was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot though his associates managed to flee the scene, he claimed.
Rab members recovered two firearms, four rounds of bullets and some cartridges from the spot.
Billal Hossain, husband of Asgar's sister, however denied the accusation saying that his brother-in-law was a contractor, not a criminal.
According to him, Asgar was staying over at his house in Baburhat area of Narsingdi when Rab picked him up around 5pm on Monday.