Dhaka: Nine suspected drug peddlers were killed in reported gunfights in Feni, Cumilla and Magura districts early on Thursday in the latest anti-narcotics drive undertaken by the law enforcers.

According to reports, a total of 55 people were killed in ‘gunfights’ across the country since May 12.

Of Thursday’s deceased, two each were killed in Feni, Cumilla and Magura while one each in Narayanganj, Brahmanbaria, and Satkhira.

In Feni, Samiran Shamim, son of Mohammad Mostafa of Maij village, and Majnu Mia alias Manir, son of Fatik Mia of Mantala villages in Phulgazi upazila, were killed in a reported gunfight between their cohorts and police at Jammura area in the upazila around 3:30am, said Humayun Kabir, officer-in-charge of Phulgazi Police Station.

The gunfight took place when police conducted an anti-narcotics drive in the area based on secret information, said the OC.

One gun, 700 pieces of Yaba tablets and 200 bottles of Phensidyls were recovered from the spot, he added.

In Cumilla, two suspected drug pushers were killed in separate incidents of reported gunfights between their cohorts and police in Chouddagram and Sadar Dakkhin upazilas early on Thursday.

Babul alias Lamba Babul, in his thirties, of Boidderkhil village in Chouddagram upazila, was killed in the ‘gunfight’ with police at Amanganda Salakanda on Dhaka-Chattogram highway around 1:00am, said Abul Foysal, officer-in-charge of Chouddagram Police Station.

He was wanted in five cases, the OC added.

In another drive, Rajib, in his twenties, of Changini village in Sadar Dakkhin Upazila was killed in a gun battle with police at Goalmatha in Sadar Dakkhin upazila around 2:15am, said Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sadar Dakkhin Police Station.

He was also wanted in 13 cases, said the OC.

In Magura, Additional Superintendent of Magura Police Tariqul Islam said acting on information that two drug-paddling gangs were exchanging gunfights between them over establishing supremacy, a team of police went to Parnanduali Housing Project in the district town around 1:30am and recovered the bullet hits body of two alleged drug peddlers.

The deceased are Mizanur Rahman Kalu, in his forties, of Bhayana village and Ayub Ali, in his fifties, of Niznanduali village in Sadar upazila.

In Satkhira, the bullet-hit body of an unidentified man was found at Hizla Chandipur in Kaliganj upazila early Thursday.

Being informed by locals, police recovered the body from the area in the morning and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, said Hasan Hafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Kaliganj Police Station.

One shutter gun, five bullets and 48 bottles of phensidyl syrup were recovered from the spot.

In Brahmanbaria, Amir Kha, an alleged drug peddler, accused in a murder case, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Bangaj Steel Bridge in Akhaura early in the morning.

Amir Kha, son of late Suruj Kha of Chandpur village in Akhaura upazila was wanted in 12 cases, said Mosharraf Hossain Tarafdar, officer-in-charge of Akhaura Police Station.

Police also recovered one pipe gun, one cartridge, one sharp weapon, ten kgs of hemp and eight bottles of cough syrup, said the OC.

 In Narayanganj, Selim alias Fenci Selim, 40, son of Abul Kashem of Sanarpar area, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Nimai Kashani in Siddhirganj early in this morning.

Sharfuddin, additional superintendent of Narayanganj Police, said police arrested Fenci Selim along with 5,000 Yaba pills from Sanarpar area on Wednesday.

Later, the law enforcers along with Sharfuddin conducted a drive to nab his associates in Nimai Kashani area where the gunfight took place, police said.