A leader of ruling BNP's youth wing Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal and an alleged robber were killed in 'crossfire' between their associates and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and police in Pabna and Keraniganj early yesterday.

Meanwhile, Begum Kaosari Islam, widow of Meghna upazila Awami League (AL) leader Mofizul Islam, alias Dudh Mian, who was killed in 'crossfire' on Tuesday in Keraniganj, urged Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the Rab chief to punish the law enforcers responsible for killing her husband.

Dudh Mian, an AL supporter and a fruit trader, was not involved in any crime, she said.

Rashidul Islam, alias Nati Babu, 38, organising secretary of Pabna district Jubo Dal, and vice-president of Pabna Amin Uddin Law College Students' Union, was killed in 'crossfire' with Rab, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

Rab arrested Rashidul from Radhanagar in Pabna town at about 11:00am on Tuesday and took him to the divisional Rab office in Rajshahi, a Rab press release said.

During interrogation, Rashidul, an accused in 20 cases including several for murder, admitted his involvement with various criminal activities, his possession of arms caches at various locations throughout Pabna and disclosed the names of some of his accomplices, including three commissioners of the Pabna municipality.

A Rab team left for the Joshodal village with Rasidul at about 2:30am to recover hidden firearms.

When they reached the village, Rashidul's accomplices attacked Rab members, prompting them to retaliate.

Trying to jump from Rab's microbus during the hour-long gunfight, Rasidul got caught in the 'crossfire' and received injuries, a Rab press release said, adding that doctors at Pabna General Hospital declared Rashidul dead after he was taken there.

Rab seized a rifle from the spot.

Claiming Rashidul to be inno-cent, his wife Amina Ismlam Chaya said cases against her husband were on political grounds. She demanded an immediate investigation of the killing and justice.

KERANIGANJ

Ashraful Islam, 25, was killed during a shootout between his associates and police at Nazirerbagh of Keraniganj at about 2:30am yesterday, police said.

Police said Ashraful was the ringleader of a gang of robbers of the area.

Keraniganj police arrested Ashraful and nine others from different places of the capital and Keraniganj upazila, suspecting their involvement in a robbery at a Nazirerbagh house on Monday

in which Tk 80,000 and 90 tolas of gold ornaments were looted, police said, adding that they recovered Tk 12,000 and a gold chain from the possession of the arrestees.

"Our team took Ashraful to Nazirerbagh area after he told police that his associates were waiting there with the looted goods and firearms," said the duty officer of Keraniganj Police Station.

As the police team reached the area, Ashraful's cohorts opened fire on police, prompting the law enforcers to fire back. During the shootout, Ashraful received bullets and died on the spot, the duty officer added.