[Bangla Daily Star] Two alleged criminals, including a leader of an outlawed party, were shot dead in separate "shootouts" with the law enforcers in Rampura of the capital and Kushtia yesterday. They are Bappi, 23, an accomplice of Jishan, one of 23 top listed criminals, in Rampura, and Sohel Hasan alias Tukun, 36, of Daulatpur upazila, in Kushtia.
A gang opened fire on Rab personnel when a team of Rab-1, after a tip-off, tried to enter an under-construction building on DIT Road at around 12:30am, Rampura police said. Bappi with his four to five gang members was staying there. As the Rab personnel retaliated, a gunfight ensued.
Both sides fired around 50 rounds, Rab sources said.
Police recovered Bappi's body lying on the spot after the shootout and sent it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.
They arrested Abid Hossain Saikat, 30, an accomplice of Bappi, Rab sources said.
Rab personnel ASI Rukan Uddin sustained bullet injury in the incident.
A revolver, a shot gun and three bullets were recovered from the spot.
Officer in-charge of Rampura Police Station Ali Ahmed Hashmi said Bappi was accused in 10 cases filed with different police stations in the city.
In Kushtia, Tukun, a regional leader of Janajuddho faction of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party, was killed at Khalishakundi village in Daulatpur upazila.
On information, a joint team of Daulatpur police and Rab-12 raided Khalishakundi bazaar at around 4:00am. The outlaws were holding a meeting there. Sensing the presence of law enforcers, the criminals opened fire on them triggering a gunfight.
Tukun was found dead after his accomplices managed to flee the scene.
With this, the death toll of the operatives of different outlawed parties in the district from "crossfire" reaches 18 in last 15 days.
Police recovered one LG, five bullets and a sword from the spot.
He was accused in six cases including four for murder filed with Daulatpur and Mirpur police stations.
A total of 683 "crossfire" incidents took place in 10 southwestern districts since 2004.
Kushtia tops the list with 239 incidents alone.
GOVT TO GO TOUGH ON OUTLAWS
State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku yesterday said the government would go tough against the outlaws in the southwest if they don't return to normal life.
"They should grab the opportunity of the present democratic system. If not, the government will intensify the ongoing crackdown in the region to capture them," Tuku added.
He said this while talking to reporters at his secretariat office after a meeting with US Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Michael S Owen.
Tuku said they had a discussion on a wide range of issues. The US official offered training and technical assistance to the police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), he added.
Owen also met Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque at his office at the secretariat and discussed how to combat the impacts of climate change in Bangladesh and build food security.
Owen, who came to Dhaka on Wednesday on a two-day visit, concluded his visit to Bangladesh yesterday.