Two alleged criminals -- a drug dealer and a robber -- were killed in “gunfights” with law enforcers in the capital and Madaripur early yesterday. 

Rab said Md Asadul, 30, who stood accused in at least eight narcotics cases, was killed in the city's Mirpur Beribandh area.

The “shootout” took place around 3:00am when a Rab team raided the area on information that some “drug peddlers” were holding a meeting there, Saiful Malik, operations officer of Rab-2, told The Daily Star.

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the criminals opened fire. The Rab members then returned fire, triggering the “gunfight”. Asadul was hit by bullets, he said.

The injured was rushed to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Rab claimed to have recovered two firearms, 10kg of cannabis and 1,000 yaba tablets from the spot.

With Asadul, at least 234 suspected drug peddlers or traders have so far been killed since the nationwide anti-narcotics drive began on May 4. Most of them were killed in so-called shootouts involving police and Rab. 

In Madaripur, an alleged robber was killed in what police claimed was a shootout in Shirkhara area under Sadar upazila around 5:00am. 

The deceased, Alim Mollah, 30, of Kalkini upazila, was accused in at least three cases, reports our Faridpur correspondent, quoting police.

Subrato Kumar Halder, superintendent of Madaripur police, gave almost similar narratives of gunfight and said bullet-hit Alim was declared dead after being taken to Madaripur Sadar Hospital.

Police claimed to have recovered a firearm from the spot.