Habib Sarowar Azad, Sylhet correspondent 

An armed clash occurred between the army and armed terrorists in Jagannathpur, Sunamganj. 

A young man named Abu Sayeed (32) was shot in the chest and killed. Several firearms and local weapons, along with ammunition, were seized from the scene.

The incident took place late Sunday night in Gadalya village of Jagannathpur Upazila in the district.

According to local sources, a conflict over dominance had been ongoing between Ekrar Hossain, chairman of Kulanj Union in Dirai upazila and a Jubo League leader, and Atikur Rahman, president of the BNP in the same union and a resident of the same village. On Friday, both parties engaged in a chase and counter-chase, during which they displayed firearms.

Following the incident, on Sunday afternoon, a team from the Shantiganj camp of the 57 East Bengal Regiment of the army launched a raid in Hatiya village of Kulanj Union to seize illegal weapons and arrest terrorists. Sensing the operation, the terrorists fled from Hatiya via engine-powered boats through the remote haor routes and took shelter in Gadalya village of neighboring Jagannathpur upazila. When army personnel arrived at the village, the terrorists opened fire on them. The army returned fire in self-defense. After the gunfire ceased, villagers found Abu Sayeed's body.

A responsible army official from Shantiganj camp said, “Although several terrorists fled after the shooting, four were arrested between Sunday night and Monday morning. From their possession, one single-barrel shotgun, four pipe guns (a total of five firearms), one round of shotgun bullet, empty bullet casings, seven machetes, nine spears as local weapons, six bulletproof vests, and two engine-powered boats used by the terrorists were seized.”

Meanwhile, it remains unknown why Abu Sayeed went to Gadalya village that night or which side’s bullet caused his death.

However, quoting the arrested individuals, a responsible army officer involved in the operation said that according to preliminary interrogation, Abu Sayeed was killed by bullets fired by unidentified terrorists.

Referring to the army operation led by an operational officer with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Grade-One) from the 17 Infantry Division, it was informed that the operation, which began on Sunday night, ended on Monday. After that, the seized weapons and arrested individuals were handed over to Jagannathpur Police Station.

On Monday evening, OC Mahfuz Imtiaz Bhuiyan of Jagannathpur Police Station said, the body of deceased Abu Sayeed was sent to the Sunamganj District Hospital morgue. Two separate cases will be filed at the police station—one regarding the arrest of the terrorists and the seizure of arms, and another over the shooting death of Abu Sayeed.