Sunamganj, June 23 (V7N) — One person was killed in a gunfight during a military raid in Jagannathpur upazila of Sunamganj on Sunday evening. The operation, aimed at recovering illegal arms and capturing armed suspects, took place in Gadalia village. The deceased has been identified as Abu Sayeed, 31, a motor mechanic from Tarpasha village in neighboring Dirai upazila.

The situation unfolded as tensions between rival political factions escalated in the area. According to local residents and police sources, a longstanding power struggle has been ongoing between Ekrar Hossain, chairman of Kulanj Union Parishad and a Jubo League leader, and Atiqur Rahman, the local president of the opposition BNP. The rivalry has resulted in several clashes, including a confrontation last Friday involving open displays of firearms.

Based on intelligence that armed men had taken refuge in Gadalia, a military patrol from the 17th Infantry Division launched an operation in the area on Sunday afternoon. Upon arrival, the troops reportedly came under fire from the suspects. The army responded, and during the ensuing exchange, the body of Abu Sayeed was later recovered. It remains unclear whose gunfire caused his death.

According to military officials, the raid followed recent incidents, including a June 20 gunfight in Dirai between supporters of Ekrar and Atiqur. Intelligence reports also indicated that Ekrar’s group had been staging public displays of weapons in a bid to assert local dominance. The army launched Sunday’s operation after these reports were verified.

Officer-in-Charge of Jagannathpur Police Station Mahfuz Imtiaz Bhuiyan said on Sunday night that the incident occurred in a remote haor region and that police had limited information at the time. A police unit had departed for the area by boat, which takes approximately two and a half hours to reach.

As of 11:30 p.m., joint security forces were still conducting the operation in and around the village to locate and arrest those involved. Further details are expected once the area is fully secured and an investigation is completed.

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