Rab sources said Habibur Rahman alias 'Bhua' Habib, 40, was one of the listed criminals and an accused in Jubo Dal leader Sagir murder case. He was also an accused in a triple-murder case in the old part of the city.

Acting on a tip-off, a Rab team arrested Habib on the fifth floor of a six-storied building at 17 Ahsanullah Road under Kotwali Police Station in the capital on February 26.

On his confessional statement, the Rab men raided different areas of Kotwali, Sutrapur and Keraniganj to recover illegal firearms.

The members of the elite force along with Habib set out for Kumudini playground in Paikpara area of Narayanganj town at about 3:45am yesterday to arrest his cohorts and recover illegal firearms.

When they reached there, Habib's accomplices opened fire, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate, the sources said.

They said Habib was shot during the shootout and died on the way to the hospital.

The Rab men recovered a foreign pistol, a foreign revolver, six bullets of pistol, eight bullets of rifle and one cartridge from the spot.