Three alleged drug peddlers have been killed in separate "gunfights" with law enforcers in Cox's Bazar and Kushtia.

In Cox's Bazar, two drug peddlers were killed in a gunfight with members of Border Guard Bangladesh in an area adjacent to Chhurikhal MG Post in Hnila union of Teknaf upazila around 11:00pm yesterday, said Lt Col of BGB-2 Battalion in Teknaf Mohammad Faisal Hasan Khan.

Three BGB men were also injured in the incident, our Cox's Bazar correspondent reports.

The deceased -- Md Ferdous (30) and Md Abdus Salam (35) -- were residents of Block-H of Balukhali Rohingia Camp in Ukhia upazila.

A BGB patrol team took position in Mochoni Lobon math area on receiving information that a large consignment of yaba will enter Bangladesh from Myanmar through Naaf river.

Soon, they saw two to three persons swimming ashore and they were asked to surrender.

The drug peddlers opened fire at them and the "gunfight" ensued when BGB men retaliated in self-defence, the official said.

At one stage, the drug traders fled the scene leaving behind bullet-hit Ferdous and Abdus Salam. The duo were rushed to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex and then to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital where doctors declared them dead, the BGB official said.

Police claimed to have recovered one locally-made firearm, one cartridge and 2.10 lakh pieces of yaba from the spot.

A total of 17 alleged yaba smugglers, including 12 Rohingyas, were killed in gunfights with Rapid Action Battalion and police in Ukhia, Sadar and Taknaf of the districts since July 1, according to our correspondent.

In Kushtia upazila, Kudrat Mandal (50) of Munshiganj village was killed in a "gunfight"with police in Daulatpur upazila.

He was accused in six cases -- four for drug trading, one for arms smuggling and one related to a clash over drug smuggling, our Kushtia correspondent reports, quoting police.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Daulatpur Police Station SM Arifur Rahman said Kudrat was a listed drug dealer and was involved in drug smuggling at various points of Daulatpur border for almost two decades.

Police arrested him twice earlier but he walked out of jail on bail, the OC said.

On information that two groups of drug traders gathered in Center More area of Dangmarka village, a police team reached there around 2:00am today. But sensing their presence, the drug dealers opened fire at police, the OC said.

Police also fired back, triggering a "gunfight", he said.

After the criminals fled the scene, police found Kudrat's body there, he added.

Police also recovered a foreign made pistol, three bullets, one magazine, a sharp weapon and 43 bottles of Phensidyl from the spot.

Contacted, Superintendent of Police in Kushtia SM Tanvir Arafath PPM (Bar) said police have zero tolerance against drugs. Operations would continue in the border areas of the district where drug smuggling is going on, he said, adding that no drug dealer will be spared.