Two Rohingyas among four die in Cox's Bazar 'shootouts'

Four people have been killed in reported shootouts with lawmen in two separate incidents in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf and Pekua upazilas.

According to BGB and RAB officials, the gunfights occurred early on Wednesday in the Kharangkhali area of Teknaf’s Waikong Union and the Magnama Ghat area of Pekua’s Magnama Union.

The two killed during a BGB anti-narcotics raid have been identified as Rohingyas from Myanmar while the other two killed in so-called shootouts with RAB in Pekua are suspected pirates.

Law enforcers have yet to identify the names of the dead, says a bdnews24 report.

Teknaf Incident

BGB Teknaf-2 Battalion Acting Captain Maj Shariful Islam Zamadar said a team had conducted a raid in Waikong Union’s Kharangkhali early on Wednesday after receiving reports a ‘large shipment of yaba had come in from Myanmar’.

At one point the team saw two men crossing the Naf River carrying sacks over their shoulders and ordered them to halt.

“But they fled instead. The BGB gave chase and they began firing on the BGB personnel. The BGB personnel then opened fire. Two bodies were recovered from the scene after the gunfight died down.”

A search of the scene yielded 0.19 million (1.9 lakh ) yaba tablets and two knives, Maj Shariful Islam said.

“We have yet to identify the dead. They are between 20 to 25 years of age. We believe they are Rohingyas.”

The bodies have been handed over to Teknaf police, he added.

Pekua 'Shootout'

The shootout in Pekua’s Magnama Ghat also occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, said RAB-7 Company Commander Maj Mehedi Hasan.

RAB went on a raid in the area after receiving reports some ‘armed men’ were attempting to loot trawlers.

“The armed men opened fire when they arrived on the scene. RAB personnel fired back in self-defence. After the gunfight died down two were found shot.”

The two were taken to the Pekua Upazila Health Complex, where doctors on duty declared them dead, Maj Mehedi Hasan said.

Eight firearms and 25 bullets were seized from the scene, he said.

The two bodies have been turned over to Pekua police.

The dead have yet to be identified, but one man seemed to be in his thirties and the other in his forties, the RAB official added.