They are Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain alias Tarif, 28, son of late Delwar Hossain of Gachbaria under Mirersarai upazila, Mohammad Nurul Islam, 37, son of Kala Mia of West Barumchhara under Anowara upazila of Chittagong, and Marzul islam alias Guddu Dakat, 30, a regional leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) in Kushtia.

Our Chittagong correspondent reported that a team of Rab-7 raided Hadi Fakirhat area of Mirersarai at around 2:30am on Tuesday and arrested Tarif, the leader of a notorious band of highway robbers and an accused in 15 criminal cases.

During interrogation at Chittagong Rab office at Patenga, Tarif confessed to his involvement in robberies on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.

On his confessional statement, the members of the elite force conducted several search operations for firearms and the other members of gang in different areas of the district, taking Tarif with them.

They launched another search operation at West Joara under Korerhat Union of Mirersarai at 2:15am yesterday.

But when the Rab men along with Tarif reached near a passenger shed on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Mirersarai,Tarif's accomplices opened fire on the law enforcers, prompting them to retaliate.

Rab sources said Tarif received bullets during the shootout while his cohorts managed to flee.

Critically injured Tarif was rushed to the nearby health complex where the doctors declared him dead, said a Rab press release yesterday.

The Rab members also recovered two one-barrel guns and five cartridges from the spot.

The other criminal, NuruI Islam, was arrested by police at Barumchhara village under Anowara upazila at around 5:30pm on Tuesday.

Nurul Islam was an accused in 12 criminal cases filed with Anowara and Banshkhali police stations and a close associate of robber leader Martuza Ali, who was killed in "crossfire" last week.

Following his statement, police along with Nurul went to Sarenga village under the upazila at around 2:15am yesterday to arrest his accomplices.

Sensing the presence of the police, Nurul's cohorts opened fire on the law enforcers, forcing them to return fire.

During the gunfight, Nurul received bullets and died instantly, police said. Police recovered one LG with two cartridges from the spot.

According to our Kushtia correspondent, locals caught Marzul Islam alias Guddu Dakat, son of Nabisuddin of Hridirampur village in Mirpur upazila, at Barabaria village when he went there to collect toll on Monday night. The villagers beat up the outlaw and then handed him over to the police.

On his confessional statement, police along with Guddu went to the village at about 4:30am yesterday to arrest his accomplices.

When they reached Barabaria field, Guddu's cohorts opened fire on the law enforcers, forcing them to retaliate.

Police said Guddu was shot while trying to flee and died on the spot. They retrieved a gun and seven bullets from the scene.

Police said the outlaw was an accused in four murder cases filed with Mirpur Police Station.