Farmer shot dead in gunfight between RAB, robbers in Cox’s Bazar

A farmer was shot dead and three others, including a RAB personnel, sustained bullet injuries reportedly in a gunfight between the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and a gang of suspected robbers in Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila on Monday night.

The deceased was identified as Bayet Ullah, 42, hailed from Baro Chowdhury Para in Bharuakhali union in the upazila.
The head of the gang – Mohammad Farhad aka Shere Farhad – was arrested with a foreign firearm during the operation, said Lt Col HM Sazzad Hossain, commanding officer of RAB-15 in Cox's Bazar, adding that Masud Chowdhury, an employee of NGO Prottasi, was kidnapped by the "Farhad-Mostaq gang" of Bharuakhali.

On information, RAB members went to Murapara area in Baruakhali union to rescue him in the night. Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the gang members opened fire, triggering a gunfight, he said.

During the gunfight, Bayet was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot, said the RAB official.

Some villagers and a RAB personnel were also sustained bullet wounds, he said, adding that Bayet along with other villagers joined the RAB team to drive away the gang. So it's assumed that he was killed by the indiscriminate firing of the gang members.

The injured were identified as RAB ASI Mohammad Sarwar, Shafi Ullah, 40, and Md Saiman, 20. Shafi Ullah and Saiman also hail from Chowdhurypara.

However, the abductee Masud was rescued and Farhad, who is accused in at least seven cases, was arrested in an injured state during the drive, he said.

Karim Ullah, a brother of the deceased, blamed the Farhad-Mostaq gang for the murder.

"Farhad's gang has established a reign of terror in our area. Whenever they come to the local bazar, they order everyone to turn off the video camera of their mobile phones," Karim said.

SA