14 more die in ‘gunfights’

At least 14 more people have died overnight in security forces' anti-drug campaign, report agencies

Of them, three were killed in Dhaka city while one each in Cox's Bazar, Chattogram, Cumilla, Narail, Sirajganj and Chuadanga districts on Tuesday night and early Wednesday.

Besides, reported gun battles among rival groups left two 'drug traders' dead in Benapole while three in Magura.

A total of 132 people were killed in 'gunfights' across the country since May 12. However, the crackdown rolled into the 11th day since the Prime Minister announced war on drug on May 18.

The security forces have maintained that all of the dead were involved in drug trafficking and they had no alternative but to kill drug suspects who allegedly resisted arrest.

But human-rights organisations have raised questions over these 'extrajudicial killings'.

The ruling party's arch rival BNP hit hard on the government's war on drugs urging the government to refrain from extrajudicial killings.

Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said security forces were conducting an 'all-out war' on drugs and will continue to do so until trafficking was eliminated.

Hundreds of people have also been arrested in raids across the country since May 18.

Identities of the drug dealers killed in the gunfights are as follows:

Dhaka—Ataur Rahman alias Ata,46, Kosai Mostafa, 52, and Faruque Islam alias Bappy, 37. Their details are not yet known.

Chattogram—Mohammad Ishak alias Omar Faruk, 37 son of Mohammad Ali of the port city.

Cumilla—Rosmat Ali, 40, son of Ali Ahmed of Soygram village in Burichang upazila.

Sirajganj—Ahsan Habib, 45 son of Izar Uddin of Hatpara village in Kamarkhand upazila.

Chuadanga—Tanjil Hossain, 40 son of Ramjan Ali of Doulatdiar village.

Benapole—Liton Mia, 42, son of Shahjahan of Bhaberber village. Details of other could not be confirmed immediately

Magura—Bacchu Chopdar, 55, son of Mahiuddin Chopdar of Bhaiana village, Raihan Dhali, 22, son of Razzak Dhali of Islampur Para and Kishore Odhikari, 43, son of Khokon Odhikari of Natun Bazar area in the district town.

Narail—Sajib. Other details could not be confirmed immediately.

Cox's Bazar—Majibur Rahman, 42, hailing from Netrakona district.