Three alleged criminals were killed in separate reported incidents of “gunfights” with law enforcers in Cox’s Bazar, Magura and Natore districts early today.

In Cox’s Bazar, a suspected drug smuggler was killed in a gunfight with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials in Hnila union of Teknaf upazila around 4:00am, reports our local correspondent quoting Lt Col Mohammad Faisal Hasan Khan, commanding officer of BGB 2 Battalion.

The incident took place near Jadimura mosque in the union on the bank of Naf River when a BGB special patrol team went to the spot and noticed some people carrying sacks on their head, the official said.

The BGB team challenged them, and in reply they opened fire at the law enforcers, triggering the gun battle, Lt Col Faisal said.

At one stage, the suspected smugglers fled from the scene while they kept firing at the BGB men. Later, one of them, whose identity was yet to be known, was found bullet-hit on the spot.

He was at first taken to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, the BGB official also said, adding that the body of the deceased has been kept at the hospital morgue.

Two BGB personnel – Lance Nayek Nurul Amin, 27, and Lance Nayek Shahinur Rahman, 25, -- also got injured in the gunfight, he added.

In Magura, an alleged robber was killed in what law enforcers claimed was a gunfight between two robber gangs early today.

The victim was identified as Mintu Gazi, 40, reports our Jhenidah correspondent quoting Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Magura Sadar Police Station.

A police patrol team heard gunshots coming from the direction of Barunatoil Bridge area, the OC said.

After reaching the spot, they found a bullet-hit body and sent it to Magura Sadar Hospital, added the official.

Police also recovered a gun, two bullets and two machetes from the spot.

In Natore, a murder accused was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Gurudaspur upazila early today.

Deceased Abu Hanif Bepari was accused of murder and several other cases including robbery, said Akramul Hossain, additional superintendent of police in Natore.

The killing case was filed after Monowara, wife of a freedom fighter of the district, was allegedly murdered with a knife at her residence by Hanif on January 16, a press release said.

Police detained Hanif from Dhaka’s Badda area on Wednesday, SP Akramul said.

The gunfight took place when a team of police along with Hanif went to Pargurudaspur area and raided a banana orchard to detain his associates early today, he added.

Two policemen sustained injuries during the incident, he confirmed.

Police seized a pistol, a pipe gun and five bullets from the spot.