Rohingya man killed in alleged gunfight with BGB

A Rohingya man was killed in what the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) claimed a gunfight with them in Ledar Churi of Teknaf upazila, Cox's Bazar early Friday.

The BGB officials claimed the Rohingya man to be a suspected drug trader, reports news agency UNB.

The deceased was identified as Nur Kabir, 28, son of certain Motaleb from Myanmar.

A patrolling team of BGB-2 challenged a group of people who were digging earth in the area around 1:00am, said BGB-2 commanding officer lieutenant colonel Mohamamd Faisal.

The miscreants opened fire on the BGB men, forcing them to fire back in self-defence that triggered the gunfight, he added.

At one stage, Nur Kabir was caught in the line of fire and suffered bullet injuries while the others managed to flee the scene.

Later, he was taken to Sadar Hospital where physicians declared him dead.

The BGB men claimed to have recovered one gun, two cartridges and 120,000 pieces of yaba tablets from the spot.

According to a human rights body, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 421 people were killed in alleged gunfights, crossfire or shootouts with the law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh in 2018.

In the first 10 months of 2019, the number of such killing was at least 334, the rights body said on its website.