Two Rohingya ‘drug pedlars’ die in Cox’s Bazar ‘gunfight’

Two suspected Rohingya drug peddlers were killed in a reported gunfight with members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Hoaikong Urubunia Katakhal in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar in the early hours of Thursday.

The deceased were identified as Sarker, 22, son of Syed Hossain of Kutupalong Rohingya camp; and Nur Alam, 30, son of Mohammad Ali of Muchni Rohingya camp in Teknaf.

A BGB-2 team raided the area after being tipped-off about smuggling of a large amount of yaba, said BGB-2 Deputy Commander Major Shariful Islam Jamaddar.

The BGB members signalled a boat to stop on the Naf River. But the smugglers ignored the signal and opened fire, triggering a gunfight, UNB reported quoting the official.

“Alam and Sarker were killed in the skirmish,” the BGB officer said.

Later, BGB members recovered the bodies and sent them to the Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

Fifty-thousand yaba pills, a gun, three cartridges and two sharp weapons were recovered from the spot.