Suspected drug peddler killed in city ‘gunfight’

A suspected drug peddler was killed and two others were injured in a "gunfight" with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in the city's Malibagh Rail Gate area this morning.

The deceased was identified as Iqbal Hossain, 40. Further details about him could not be known yet.

Tipped off that a consignment of Yaba would arrive in Dhaka from Cox's Bazar by a bus, a RAB team took position in the area, said police super Mohiuddin Faruki, company commander of Rab-2.

When the drug dealers were shifting Yaba pills to a private car, the elite force members challenged them around 7:10am, he said.

At that point, the hoodlums opened fire on RAB members, forcing them to fire back in self-defence, triggering a gunfight, Mohiuddin said.

At one stage, three drug pushers were caught in the line of fire and suffered wounds, he said.

They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared Iqbal dead, the RAB official said, adding that two others were undergoing treatment under their custody.

Two Rab members –- assistant sub-inspector Foyez and constable Hasan -- also suffered wounds in the incident, he said, claiming that they recovered 1 lakh Yaba pills, Tk 1.89 lakh in cash, cheques for Tk 5 crore, a pistol loaded with four bullets and 12 handsets.