A “criminal” was killed in an alleged shootout between his cohorts and the Rapid Action Battalion at Agargaon in the capital early yesterday.

The dead, Aidul alias Mama Sagor, 25, was an “extortionist” in Karwan Bazar area and accused in several arms cases, claimed the elite force.

The “gunfight” took place around 1:45am after a Rab patrol team approached a group of criminals near the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Lt Col Mohiuddin Ahmed, commanding officer of the Rab-2, told The Daily Star.

Instantly, the criminals opened fire at the law enforcers, prompting them to retaliate with gunshots.

At one point, all the attackers except Aidul, who was shot in the incident, fled.

The Rab members rescued and took him to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he was pronounced dead, Mohiuddin said.

The law enforcers recovered a pistol and three bullets from the scene, he said adding that two Rab men were also hurt in the incident.

With Aidul, at least 19 people, including five alleged militants, have been killed in such “shootouts” or “gunfights” since a “crackdown” against criminals began following the murder of the wife of a top              police official in Chittagong on June 5, according to The Daily Star reports.

Meanwhile, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Mizanur Rahman yesterday said they are always against any incident like “crossfire” or other forms of extra-judicial killings.

Whenever there is any allegation of such incidents, the NHRC does not wait for anyone and sends letter to the home ministry, seeking inquiries into them, he told reporters while visiting the Dhaka Central Jail.

Sometimes the ministry replies, sometimes it does not, he added.