The dear departed are Mukul Hossain, 30, a regional leader of banned outfit Biplobi Communist Party, and Jahangir Alam, 45, son of late Shamsul Ali of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia.
Four police and Rapid Action Battalion
(Rab) personnel were also injured during the shootouts.Mukul was wanted in seven cases including two for murder and four for abduction, reports our Jhenidah correspondent quoting Maj Sakhawat Hossain, commander of Jhenidah Rab camp.
A joint contingent of Rab and police cordoned off a field at Pairadanga village in Harinakunda upazila around 3:10am on information that a group of criminals were holding a secret meeting in the dead of night there, Maj Sakhawat said.
Spider senses tingling at the proximity of the law enforcers, the outlaws fired shots, inviting retaliatory fire by the coppers.
After the shootout, Mukul's bullet-ridden body was found lying on the spot while his accomplices managed to evaporate. He was rushed to Jhenidah General Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
He's dead, Jim!
The law enforcers exchanged 48 bullets during around a quarter of an hour's shootout, Maj Sakhawat added. Four firearms, three bullets, two bombs and a knife were recovered from the spot.
Motiar Rahman, a constable of Harinakunda Police Station and Shariful Islam of Jhenidah Rab camp were maimed during the shootout, said Abul Khaer, officer-in-charge of Harinakunda Police Station.
Mukul's body was sent to Jhenidah Sadar Hospital morgue for his appointment with Doctor Quincy, the OC added.
Our NATOre correspondent reports, a team of Rab personnel raided a char area at Bilmaria in Lalpur upazila around 3:30am on information that some criminals were holding a meeting there.
Spider senses tingling at the proximity of the elite force, the accomplices of Jahangir fired shots, prompting them to retaliate.
[BANG! BANG! BANGETY BANG!]
which triggered a shootout, said Squadron Leader Kamrul Islam, the Rab chief in NATOre.
Jahangir's bullet-ridden body was found lying on the spot while his accomplices managed to evaporate.
Rab exchanged 16 bullets during the nearly 15-minute 'shootout', the Rab chief continued adding that Jahangir was leading the infamous Panna Bahini after the death of its chief Panna in 2005.
He was accused in seven cases including murder and extortion, he added. Rab team also recovered five firearms and 54 bullets from the spot.
Two Rab members--Havilder Tozammel and Nayek Jahurul--also received minor injuries during the shootout and took primary treatment at Natore Sadar Hospital.
They were later shifted to Rajshahi Police Hospital, said Major Anowar, deputy director of Rab-5 in Rajshahi.