Satkhira Jamaat man dies in gunfight with cops

A Jamaat man, who had direct links with the recent violence in the trouble-torn Satkhira, was killed in a gunfight between the activists of Jamaat-Shibir and joint forces in Sadar upazila of the district this afternoon.

Anarul Islam, 45, was the suspended chairman of Agardanri Union Parishad in the upazila, reports a correspondent from Satkhira.

Police recovered two pipe-guns and several local arms after the hour-long gunfight that started around 12:30pm at Vadra in Kushkhali area, Enamul Haque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station, told The Daily Star.  

The victim was a BNP activist earlier and a few days ago, he joined the Jamaat-e-Islami, the key ally to the main opposition, said Abdul Alim, general secretary of Satkhira district BNP unit and also the chairman of Labsa Union Parishad.

Anarul was directly involved with all the incidents of violence that Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, unleashed during the recent spate of hartals and blockades in the district, the OC added. 

The gunfight occurred when the members of joint forces went to patrol in Vadra area and nearly 50 to 60 members of Jamaat-Shibir attacked them with brick chips, crude bombs and gunfire, said Chowdhury Manjurul Kabir, superintendent of police (SP) in Satkhira. 

At one stage, the joint forces also retaliated with gunfire, the SP said.

The law enforcers saw bullet-riddled Anarul lying on the bank of a pond in the area after attackers fled the scene following the hour long gunfight, the SP added.

Law enforcers recovered Anarul and whisked his off to Satkhira Sadar Hospital where duty doctors declared him dead, the SP said.

Local government suspended Anarul on April 7 for his alleged involvement with different kinds of subversive activities including felling roadside trees, informed Abdul Mannan, acting chairman of Agardanri UP who took charges of the union parishad on April 11.