Bangladesh madrassa student who murdered Hindu priest killed in 'gunfight'

Dhaka: A Bangladeshi madrassa student who had murdered a Hindu priest earlier this year and was behind a terror attack on Eid in Dhaka was killed in a "gunfight" with security forces, media reported on Friday.

Shafiul Islam and an associate, whose identity was not immediately known, were killed in a gunfight with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Mymensingh`s district.

Shafiul, also known as Saiful, had been undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) under RAB custody after he was caught following the attack on an Eid congregation in Sholakia in Kishoreganj on July 7.

Doctors released Shafiul on Thursday and he was being taken to Kishoreganj to be handed over to the police.

However, the team came under attack at a place in Nandail when the attackers tried to snatch away Shafiul by hurling bombs and opening fire, a RAB official said, Daily Star reported.

A gun battle ensued when RAB fired back, in which the two militants were hit by bullets and died.

Two motorcycles, several bombs and arms as well as some ammunition were recovered from the spot.

Three RAB members suffered splinter injuries during the encounter, RAB said.

The police also said the "gunfight" happened at 11.00 p.m. near a brickfield at Dangrigoshpala area, some three to four km east of Nandail upazila headquarters.

On July 7, a police check-post near the Sholakia Eidgah ground, which hosts the country`s largest Eid congregation, came under a terrorist attack. During the attack, Shafiul was injured in an hour-long gun battle with police and later taken into custody.

Two policemen were killed in the Sholakia attack while a woman from a nearby house died after being hit by stray bullets. Police later shot one suspected attacker dead.

Shafiul was one of the three motorcycle-riding assailants who slit the throat of a Hindu priest Jagneshwar Roy, 50, after hacking him with sharp weapons in the early hours of February 21.

He also goes by the aliases Shariful Islam, Abu Mokaddel, and "Sohan".

Shafiul was allegedly involved in at least two other targeted killings in Kurigram and Panchagarh.