An alleged arsonist was shot dead and four others bullet-hit in a 'gunfight' with law enforcers and a trucker was burnt in arson in two separate places in Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong this evening.
The deceased was identified as Arif, 22, hailing from Shekherhaat area in the upazila, Nayeb Hamid of Chittagong Medical College Hospital police outpost, told The Daily Star.
Bullet-hit Arif was brought dead to the CMCH, the policeman said.
The four injured persons, all aged between 20-22 years, who also received bullet wounds were indentifed as -- Rubel, Nurul Hadi, both hailing from Shekherhaat, and Sohel and Pervez, from Baharampur, Nayeb Hamid said.
Police alleged that the people who were taking preparation for sabotage fired and hurled crude bombs at law enforcers after sensing their presence on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Nunachhara area around 9:30pm, Saiful Islam, assistant superintendent of Sitakunda police told our Chittagong correspondent.
The gunfight was ensued as law enforcers opened fired in retaliation, the police official said.
Police detained the injured youths and seized ten crude bombs, a firearm, three rounds of bullets and two litres of octane from their possession, he said.

Trucker burnt in Bhatiyari arson

Meanwhile, a trucker was burnt and his vehicle torched as unidentified miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at it in Madabibirhaat area under Bhatiyari union in the upazila around 10:00pm, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reports quoting Kamal Uddin, additional sub-inspector of Sitakunda Police Station.
Law enforcers with the help of fire fighters were able to douse the blazes in the truck which was torched in front of Sonargaon Petrol Pump on Dhaka-Chittagong highway.