Two alleged drug traders and two suspected robbers were killed in separate 'shootouts' with law enforcing agencies in Khulna, Rajshahi and Jashore districts early Wednesday.
In Jashore, police recovered the bullet-riddled bodies of two suspected robbers on Jashore-Manirampur road at Kanaitala in sadar upazila around 2:55 am.
The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.
Apurba Hasan, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said acting on secret information that two gangs of robbers were engaged in a gun battle, a team of police went there, recovered the bodies and sent those to Jashore General Hospital.
The law enforcers also recovered three sharp weapons and some rope from the spot.
In Khulna, listed drug trader Emran alias Rocky, 22, was killed in a reported gunfight with members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at Maheshwarpur in Daulatpur upazila early Wednesday.
Emran was the son of another top listed drug trader Sheikh Mizanur Rahman alias Hatakata Mizan of the area.
Tipped off, a team of RAB-6 gave a signal to a motorbike carrying three people to stop around 3 am, said ASP Bazlur Rashid of RAB-6.
Defying the RAB signal, the criminals opened fire at the law enforcers, forcing them to fire back in self-defence.
At one stage, RAB recovered the body of Emran along with a revolver, three bullets and 308 pieces of Yaba tablets from the spot.
Emran was wanted in seven cases, said the RAB official.
In Rajshahi, Sazzad Hossain, another suspected drug trader and son of Saim Uddin of Haripur Banpara village, was killed in a 'gunfight' with RAB at Kasba in Poba upazila early Wednesday.
Tipped off, a team of RAB-5 conducted a drive in the area around 1 am. Sensing the presence of the elite force, the criminals opened fire on them that prompted RAB members to swing into action, said deputy commanding officer of RAB-5 Major AM Ashraful Islam, reports UNB.
After a brief gunfight, RAB members recovered the body of Sazzad and sent it to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital morgue.
He was wanted in seven/eight cases, said the RAB official.
With the latest deaths, at least 148 people were killed in 'shootouts' with members of law enforcement agencies while 37 bodies of suspected drug traders were recovered after reported gun battles between rival groups during the countrywide anti-narcotic drives since 15 May.
